Even with gas tax holiday, CT’s transportation coffers are flush

And while the tax-cutting debate appears to be unresolved, leaders from both parties, labor and business share a common assessment of the transportation program’s increasingly swollen coffers: Connecticut needs to spend more soon or risk losing not only taxpayer confidence but also its ability to maximize federal aid. The tax holiday, which waived the full […]

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Robotics: Automating the Job Site

Though collaboration between tech developers and industry is critical to widespread adoption, safer job sites where workers are free to handle more challenging tasks is happening now. “In an industry often averse to risk, construction professionals will want to see proof of success before widespread adoption of robotics in the field,” wrote Andrew Roe, president […]

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New London shares details of plan to replace lead water lines for free

The city is potentially months away from starting a three-year project to replace its lead water lines that serve homes, apartments and public buildings. Connecticut is set to receive $150 million for the replacement of lead service lines from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, and New London is first on the state’s priority list for […]

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New Britain officials unveil renderings for newest downtown development

City officials unveiled the renderings for a new development downtown. Stewart unveiled the first of the three renderings, which displayed the façade of the apartment building. “This building will compliment The Brit. We want buildings that will complement each other and not to be in competition with each other,” said Amit Lakhotia, developer. “So if […]

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Prolific Hartford area developer Kenny will debut, kick-start major apartment projects in 2023

Kenny, owner of Hartford-based real estate investment and development group Lexington Partners, has had a hand in developing more than 2,000 apartments in 18 significant projects over a career spanning more than three decades. Also by his side is his longtime business partner and friend Alan Lazowski, head of the LAZ Parking empire and a […]

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West Hartford nonprofit plans more affordable apartments with total rebuild of campus

West Hartford Fellowship Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing group in town, is planning to rebuild its Starkel Road campus, adding 95 more affordable units to the property. The plan would go ahead should the Town Council grant Town Manager Rick Ledwith the ability to execute a 99-year lease agreement with West Hartford Fellowship Housing Development […]

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Sector watch: ‘A lot of money on the table’ for civil construction this year

Dodge expects civil construction starts, such as public transit, roads, bridges, EV charging stations, water-related projects and power plants, to total $281 billion in 2023, a 16% jump from last year. That’s because infrastructure funds will steadily flow into the market in 2023. As of July 2022, only a small fraction of IIJA dollars had […]

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Records: Architect suggested making environmental report ‘disappear’

The town bought the property at 100 Barnes Road and is planning to renovate the former 3M office building into a new police station. At the Oct. 13 meeting, architect Brian Humes of Jacunski Humes Architects gave a report on environmental testing of the building. Jeffrey Anderson is the vice president of preconstruction at Downes Construction, […]

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New year, new challenges for IIJA

Amid the uncertainty, the IIJA provides a welcome stable infusion of $1.2 trillion in funding to a variety of construction sectors over five years. The legislation will boost a wide range of infrastructure work, from bridges to broadband, as well as bolster industries focused on low-carbon and American-made materials. However, there are a number of headwinds […]

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Here’s how Norwich Public Utilities plans to locate and replace the city’s lead pipes

Norwich Public Utilities, the entity that manages the city’s water supply, estimates there are at least 800 private water service lines in the city with pipes that contain lead, and an upcoming survey is expected to reveal more. The water is protected with corrosion inhibitors, but the utility plans to begin replacing those lines this summer. […]

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Wilton receives $1.4M to prevent flooding at high school sports fields

The town was awarded $1.425 million to cover the design and construction costs of a storm mitigation system for the high school sports complex, Department of Public Works head Frank Smeriglio said. Smeriglio said the town will work with Boston-based athletic vendor Stantec for the design phase, although the price has not yet been finalized. […]

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Winsted voters approve borrowing additional $2.3 million for water projects

Voters have chosen to approve borrowing an additional $2.3 million to supplement a $6.2 million project for new water mains and improved water storage tanks on Wallens Hill Road and Crystal Lake. A referendum saw 209 votes in favor of the additional borrowing versus 170 votes against. Costs to replace a water storage tank on Wallens […]

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Demolition-Cleanup-Redev Plans Advance

Science Park’s redevelopers are still planning to knock down an abandoned factory building saturated in toxic oil and marked by broken glass. They’re now one small step closer to realizing that goal, as alders advanced a grant application that would cover a portion of the $10 million they need to demolish and remediate the derelict former site. That was […]

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Torrington gets $5.2M grant for railroad park plan

An ambitious plan to revitalize and redesign the areas of Church Street and Railroad Square near Christmas Village took a step forward this month, now that the city has received a $5.2 million grant. The plan includes a platform for train passengers on nearby Railroad Square, a public park area, improved sidewalks and street surfaces, […]

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Can a cluster development save the farm? Owners of Madison’s Barberry Hill Farm say yes

A proposed cluster housing development on land formerly belonging to Barberry Hill Farm will help save the working farm, according to the developer and farm owner Kingsley Goddard. Some 5.8 acres, the rear portion of the 17.5-acre farm, was sold last November for $2.4 million to developer Adam Greenberg, who most recently completed the upscale […]

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$53M Cromwell Middle School project, including outdoor classrooms, moves to design phase

The new $53 million Cromwell Middle School project is moving along, with the schematic design phase completed and reviewed at the building committee’s meeting Jan. 4. Next up is the detailed design phase, which is estimated to last about nine weeks. After seeking to hire a construction manager for the project, the committee offered a […]

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What is Stamford doing with $6M+ in federal funds? Building a library branch, replacing streetlights

A federal funding package enacted at the end of 2022 includes more than $6 million in earmarks for the city and millions of dollars more for nonprofit organizations that have offices in Stamford. The largest earmark for the city — a $3 million allocation — is for the construction of a Ferguson Library branch in […]

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Milford mandates EV charging stations in future build projects

Any future developments with 30 or more parking spaces will have to make 10 percent of those spots electric vehicle charging capable, thanks to a newly approved change to the city’s zoning regulations. The state legislature, in Public Act 22-25, mandated towns to have regulations for accommodating electric vehicles charging on projects where there are […]

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Large-scale apartment complex in Windsor proposed to replace vacant lot where car dealership stood

A developer is proposing 77 apartments in a four-story building on Windsor’s Poquonock Avenue just a few blocks away from an even larger new project at the Windsor Center Plaza. Town planners last spring gave initial approval to the concept for Sachdev Real Estate Development LLC’s concept plan, and will examine a detailed version of […]

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In Connecticut, frustration grows over lack of access to Canadian hydropower

New England’s reliance on natural gas for electricity generation is expected to cost the region dearly this winter. And in Connecticut, political leaders are suggesting that their northern neighbors are standing in the way of relief. Gov. Ned Lamont has expressed a similar sentiment, telling a reporter, “We’ve got to get access to the hydro-power coming […]

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Norwich hiring first position to help with multimillion-dollar school building project

After voters approved the city’s referendum to demolish most of the existing elementary schools in Norwich and build four new ones, the project is moving on to its next step. On Dec. 22, Norwich opened a request for proposals for an owner’s representative position for three of the planned school buildings, those on the sites […]

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Lyme-Old Lyme Selects Committee to Oversee School Construction, Excludes Chief Critic

A project cost of as much as $57.5 million was approved by voters in a November referendum, and will include replacing boilers, installing HVAC systems, and code upgrades at Mile Creek, Lyme Consolidated, Center School and Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School. It also includes the addition of classrooms at Mile Creek Elementary School. The only requirements […]

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Torrington OKs 20-year, $5M solar deal

The city is locking into a solar program that could bring it $200,000 in energy savings annually over the next 20 years for a total of about $5 million and essentially shift it to clean energy. The City Council on Tuesday night authorized Mayor Elinor C. Carbone to sign a nonresidential Renewable Energy Solutions Auction […]

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Plan to rebuild Hartford highways gaining support, waiting for DOT

The project, announced two years ago, is called Hartford 400. It calls for the removal of the massive highway interchanges in Hartford and East Hartford, the construction of new bridges and tunnels, more parkland and the reconnection of North Hartford to downtown, among other things. It is a daunting endeavor: preliminary estimates predict it will […]

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Waterbury seeking OK from aldermen for $30M bond to rehab Chase Building

City administration is requesting approval from the Board of Aldermen for a $30 million bond authorization to rehabilitate the Chase Municipal Building, the former corporate headquarters of Chase Brass & Copper Co. Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said significant upgrades to the building are sorely needed. The project would include a comprehensive rehabilitation of the building, […]

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CT’s largest bridge is set for a $158 million facelift over next six years

To celebrate the funding, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited New London on Wednesday to get an up close look at the bridge that spans the Thames River. Joined by newly-reinaugurated Governor Ned Lamont and Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, local representatives and members of industry, the secretary touted the Biden administration’s infrastructure […]

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The winter energy crunch, what it costs, and what it will take to fix it

At a nearly three-hour meeting Monday, officials from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, representatives from Eversource and about 160 others, began discussing the energy price crisis — which is region-wide — and looking for ways states can pool efforts to find solutions, especially when it comes to procuring energy. Utility companies — Eversource and Avangrid […]

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East Hartford gets $4 million federal grant to help expand library using former post office building

East Hartford has received a $4 million grant to help it purchase the former downtown Post Office on Main Street and renovate the historic building as an annex to the Raymond Library. The $4 million is a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the government funding package that will bring $38.7 million to organizations in […]

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Renovation eyed for historic Keeney building in Newington

The new owners of a historic Newington building are seeking a change of use from industrial/office space into retail and office space to revitalize the central downtown landmark. The 109,200-square-foot complex of three buildings at 1170 Main St., formerly known as the Keeney manufacturing site, was purchased for $3.1 million by Omni Broussard Two LLC in […]

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Steelpointe soil contamination slows plan for Bridgeport luxury apartments

It took a few decades for development to start at the Steelpointe site, and now the latest phase for the East Side property between Interstate 95 and the harbor — a 1,500-unit luxury apartment complex — is again delayed. But whereas the developers previously blamed the lack of a groundbreaking on the global coronavirus pandemic that […]

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North Haven first selectman says more development will come to Washington Ave in 2023

Residents can expect development at several Washington Avenue locations in 2023, according to Freda. The sites Freda is eyeing include properties on the north and south side of the driveway entrance to Amazon’s campus and a four-acre lot across from the North Haven fairgrounds. “On the northside (of the Amazon driveway), we will be looking […]

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East Coast Greenway — spanning from Maine to Florida — will link Bloomfield and Simsbury

A small slice of a trail running from the Canadian border to Key West is now under construction, connecting Bloomfield to Simsbury. The East Coast Greenway is a 3,000-mile trail from Maine to Florida for active transportation like biking, walking, running and inline skating. Connecticut is home to 200 miles of the trail, 104 of […]

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to visit New London this week

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will visit New London on Wednesday to highlight the recently announced $158 million federal grant the Gold Star Memorial Bridge is getting for repairs to the northbound span. It’s one of a few visits from the Biden Administration throughout the country Wednesday, to highlight the impacts of the Bipartisan […]

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A $4.18M fix to Bethel High School’s failing HVAC system to go to special town meeting

The town will hold a special town meeting next Tuesday regarding a $4.18 million appropriation for improvements and enhancements to Bethel High School’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The system — which was not updated when the school was renovated in 2007 to 2009 — has posed problems for several years. During Bethel’s Jan. 3 special […]

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In New Haven, two developers present plans for Strong School site in Fair Haven

Two prospective developers — both described by city officials as well-qualified — made presentations this week at a community Zoom meeting hosted by the city and Fair Haven Alder Sarah Miller, D-14. The two presentations were similar in some ways but offered a number of stylistic differences. The Glendower plan, presented by Glendower and Elm […]

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How should Stamford use $5.6M to change the Atlantic Street ramp? Tearing it down is one option.

For years, the ramp heading into Stamford Town Center off Atlantic Street has been a sort of no-man’s land in the heart of the city’s downtown. Kooris is the president of the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, which was just awarded $5.6 million from the Department of Economic and Community Development through the State Bond […]

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Connecticut to secure $236 million windfall from federal spending bill. Here’s what that means.

Towns and cities across Connecticut are set to see a major windfall from the $1.7 trillion bill to fund the federal government, thanks to the practice formerly known as earmarking where lawmakers secure large pots of money to benefit their state and districts. More than 170 projects were approved for Connecticut and tucked into the […]

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U.S. Navy $5 billion boost for Electric Boat Columbia submarine construction to bring jobs

The U.S. Navy has given another $5.1 billion boost to its high-priority Columbia class submarine program and its designer and lead contractor on the new class of ballistic missile subs, the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Groton. EB, with shipyards in Groton and Quonset Point, R.I., has started building the first two boats […]

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No longer a pipe dream: State to get $150M to replace lead service lines

Over the past two years, New London has been aggressively inventorying its pipes, the first step in the replacement process. Lanzafame has pored over historical records, hired engineers to do predictive modeling, and arranged for exploratory “test pits” to be drilled throughout the city to determine how many of its public water lines are made […]

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Major Greater Hartford, CT development projects get boost from new state funding 

Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday announced $36.5 million in grants for eight economic development projects, including $5.5 million to help build 57 apartments in Hartford and $5.3 million to help transform a blighted factory in Torrington into a marketplace and offices. “We created this grant program as a component of our efforts to spur economic […]

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Port Authority says State Pier work to be substantially completed by February

Despite obstacles that have complicated construction and driven up costs, work to transform State Pier in New London into an offshore wind hub is about 75% complete and on schedule to achieve “substantial completion” by February, Connecticut Port Authority Executive Director Ulysses Hammond announced on Tuesday. Hammond, addressing the authority’s board of directors at its […]

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Montville approves phase construction of condo project, receives application for apartment project

The Planning and Zoning Commission has approved the phased construction of a 22-unit townhouse style condominium project on Route 32 while tabling discussion of a proposed 16-unit apartment complex on Route 32. The commission last week unanimously approved a request by Western Group LLC, to build the 22 condominiums in four phases, with no other […]

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Supply chain shortages push Brookfield school move-in date several months to fall 2023

With the Candlewood Lake Elementary School now slated to be finished in late May or early June, the plan is to move students and staff into the new 139,000-square-foot facility next fall for the new school year. The school, which will accommodate more than 1,000 students and 200 staff, was originally expected to be ready […]

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West Hartford to decide Wednesday on controversial plan for six-story condo tower, mixed-use complex in town center

After hearing six hours of back and forth about the plan last week, West Hartford’s town council is expected to decide Wednesday night whether developers can put up a six-story condo building and mixed-used complex in the town center. The decision on The Arapahoe Group’s proposal is certain to disappoint plenty of people regardless of […]

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Local leaders praise $15M to remove Kinneytown Dam

Environmentalists and river advocates received an early Christmas gift after the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments secured $15 million in federal funding for the removal of the Kinneytown Dam. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday the NVCOG, in collaboration with Save the Sound, has been recommended for funding for removal of the Kinneytown Dam […]

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Ansonia, Derby get grants to turn brownfields into apartments

State officials recently announced a list of towns receiving grants to redevelop brownfield sites into apartments, including the $990,000 for Ansonia and $650,000 for Derby. The money comes from the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development Brownfield Remediation and Development Program. Some of the units will be set aside as affordable housing — a requirement […]

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Eversource could put in new power lines in these southwestern CT towns

New power lines could be coming to Weston, Fairfield, Easton and Bridgeport after a no-decision discussion with Eversource at Thursday’s Board of Selectmen meeting. Abigail Bowersox, project manager for the 1714/1720 line rebuild project with Eversource, said that the project will rebuild a 9.4-mile long section of power lines between Old Town Substation in Bridgeport and […]

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Norwich Public Utilities jump-starts lead pipe replacement project with state grant

Starting in Spring of 2023, the city utility will begin work on an estimated five-year, $5.65 million project to replace the estimated 800 private water lines already identified. A survey of the lines to be conducted early in 2023 likely will identify several hundred more such lines that need to be replaced, NPU officials said. […]

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CT Children’s massive Hartford campus expansion gains approval

The Hartford Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday gave its final approval to a $280 million expansion plan that will reshape Connecticut Children’s Washington Street campus in Hartford. Currently, Connecticut Children’s Hartford facility measures about 321,000 square feet with 187 beds. The new tower will be anchored to the existing building. A groundbreaking will take […]

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Despite supply chain, other issues, Salvatore remains bullish on Hartford as North Crossing development’s first phase debuts

Developer Randy Salvatore’s ongoing effort to build around 1,000 apartments just north of Hartford’s downtown was buffeted in 2022 by labor shortages, supply chain difficulties and interest rate hikes. A court challenge has stopped him from breaking ground on the next phase of development. The first phase of Salvatore’s broader North Crossing development around the […]

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West Hartford delays vote on housing development after receiving protest petition

After a public hearing that lasted just over six hours, the Town Council voted Tuesday to delay its decision on a proposed housing development in West Hartford Center. A valid protest petition, which requires signatures from 20 percent of landowners in the 500-foot radius impacted by the development, would trigger a supermajority voting requirement. The […]

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Ground Broken On 398 New Apartments

A dozen New York City-based developers, investors, and local city officials dug in and tossed ceremonial shovels full of dirt — as a team of hard-hatted construction workers behind them continued transforming a 13-acre former contaminated industrial site into 398 new places to live. In the next 18 months, the New York City-based construction firm Hudson Meridian plans to have […]

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Quinnipiac Univ. receives final approval for $293M South Quad project

Quinnipiac University has received final approval to construct three buildings – a new school of business, an academic building and a residence hall – at its Hamden campus, part of the school’s controversial South Quad project. Construction is expected to begin this winter, with the new buildings opening during the 2024-25 academic year, the school […]

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Costello Dismantles 12 Interconnected Brass Plant Structures in Waterbury

Between March and April 2021 and an additional phase in 2022, the Costello Dismantling Company Inc. completed the demolition of the 400,000-sq.-ft. former Anaconda American Brass Company manufacturing plant in the city of Waterbury, Conn. Due to widespread contamination and deterioration of the entire complex, more than 10,000 tons of debris was handled and disposed […]

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Plainfield warehouse to be five times bigger than Amazon, but no tenant yet. What we know.

A private real estate company has received conditional approval to build a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in Plainfield that is expected to net the town a tidy sum in permitting and tax revenue. The Planning & Zoning Commission on June 29 granted site plan approval to Scannell Properties for construction of a warehouse on the combined […]

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Safety Hunter Keeps Eye On The Rising Tiers

Hard-hatted Hunter was on the construction site of the George-and-Orchard Street portion of the $838 million Yale New Haven neurosciences center rising in West River. While workers from Turner Construction worked on the first tiers of the garage, Hunter monitored their safety. Hunter said he has seen no slips, no falls, no major injuries during his […]

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Fine Fettle proposes cannabis grow facility in Bloomfield

FFD 149, Fine Fettle’s social equity cultivator business in partnership with Hartford resident Kennard Ray, has submitted a special permit and subdivision applications with the town to construct a cannabis cultivation facility at 10 Mosey Drive. A public hearing for the proposal is set for Dec. 15. Pending public approval, Zachs said the facility will take […]

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Preparing for the imminent surge in infrastructure projects

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), however, 43% of the public roadways in the United States remain in poor or mediocre condition, with almost 231,000 bridges needing repair—nearly 8% of them structurally deficient. These systems need major repair, replacement, or preservation work and soon. The U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), […]

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State provides $24.6M for brownfield projects across CT

The state has allocated $24.6 million to help municipalities remediate 41 blighted properties, Gov. Ned Lamont announced, including the former Ames corporate headquarters in Rocky Hill. The funding is expected to augment $625 million in private funding that will go toward investigating and cleaning up the sites, which span about 86 acres in total. The […]

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Expansion sought at Scinto Forest Parkway location in Shelton

The Inland Wetlands Commission, at its meeting Thursday, approved R.D. Scinto, Inc.’s plans to construct a 43,000-square-foot addition to the already existing commercial flex space at 15 Forest Parkway. According to the plans filed with the Inland Wetlands Commission, the building addition and new parking areas will replace some existing paved and wooded areas on site. […]

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UConn Gampel Pavilion to see major overhaul

The UConn Board of Trustees unanimously approved $688,480 at its Dec. 7 meeting to replace the court. The project is slated to be completed in time for the start of the 2023 fall semester, officials said. The Gampel Pavilion, also home to UConn volleyball as well as career fairs, open houses, and commencement ceremonies, opened […]

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East Hartford Town Hall to undergo major renovations. The $21.6 million project calls for some big (temporary) moves.

East Hartford’s 86-year-old Town Hall will be receiving a much-needed renovation to replace mechanical systems — think heating, air conditioning and more — that have “exceeded their life expectancy,” according to town officials. The goal now is to completely vacate the Town Hall facility so that the entire building can be renovated at once, versus […]

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DOT to hold online public meeting Tuesday on plan to replace Lawler Lane bridge in Norwich

The state Department of Transportation will hold an online-only public information forum Tuesday on a $7.5 million plan to replace the Lawler Lane bridge over Interstate 395 starting in 2024. The 165-foot-long bridge was built in 1958 and rehabilitated in 1992 and 2017. DOT inspectors deemed the bridge deck and superstructure to be in poor […]

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Infrastructure Train Kept Chugging In Challenging Year

New Haven was supposed to begin construction earlier this year on the peanut — a new squooshed roundabout with a novel design at the treacherous intersection of Chapel Street and Yale Avenue near the Westville Music Bowl and Yale Bowl. A local contractor had won the bid for the project. But those high prices meant he could no longer afford […]

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Farmington voters overwhelmingly approve additional $9.7 million for high school

Voters overwhelmingly approved an additional $9.7 million for the construction of a new Farmington High School Thursday. The unusual December referendum passed 1,787 to 815 with 12.9 percent of the registered voters in Farmington showing up to the polls. This vote was the second time Farmington voters have been asked to approve money for the […]

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Bridgeport misses out on key development grants for major projects, including downtown theaters

Felipe and state Sen. Marilyn Moore, D-Bridgeport, sit on the 21-member board of legislators and other state officials set up to help distribute the CIF fund. That pot of money — $875 million total, spread out through 2030 — was established by Connecticut lawmakers in 2021 to funnel aid to projects/initiatives that will benefit underserved […]

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New London State Pier construction manager, contracts to face state scrutiny

Members of the State Contracting Standards Board announced Friday that they plan to investigate how one construction company was able to recommend itself for more than $87 million in subcontracts for the renovation of the State Pier in New London. The board, which is responsible for scrutinizing state business deals and reviewing Connecticut’s procurement laws, […]

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Stonington to repair South Anguilla Road bridge

The Board of Finance on Wednesday awarded a $338,445 bid to Suchocki & Sons, Inc. of Preston to repair the South Anguilla Road Bridge. The five bids for the work ranged from $322,334 to $396,000, with the low bid coming from Old Colony Construction of Clinton. After the bids were reviewed and reference checks were […]

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Litchfield to study overhaul cost for old school

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday authorized seeking architectural and engineering firms to study the former Bantam School and determine how much it would cost to overhaul the 70-year-old building for continued municipal use. Proposals would show how much an architectural and engineering study of the building that was designed by famed modernist architect Marcel […]

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North Stamford residents can’t fix their broken septic systems. It’ll cost at least $8M for sewers.

In fall 2023, the city’s Water Pollution Control Authority hopes construction will finally begin to bring sewer service to the area. The Board of Finance this week approved a $1.88 million appropriation to move the project forward. Septic systems are used across North Stamford. But on streets in the Perna Lane area, which is near […]

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$10 million approved for Freight Street redevelopment

The State Bond Commission and Gov. Ned Lamont approved $10 million Thursday for the Freight Street Corridor Redevelopment Project. The funding is part of more than $14 million that will be used for economic development, infrastructure and city schools. The city will receive $10 million signed off by the board of the Community Investment Fund […]

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New Haven Housing, Healthcare Projects Get $21M+ State Boost

Dixwell Plaza’s mixed-use redevelopment, a new health center on Grand Avenue, and new affordable apartments on Shelton Avenue were some of the dozen New Haven projects to receive over $21 million in support from Hartford in an end-of-year windfall of state aid. That infusion of state cash for New Haven-based projects came Thursday from the State Bond Commission. […]

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From school security to development, CT board approves $1 billion in projects

Days before next week’s 10th anniversary of the Newtown school massacre, the State Bond Commission on Thursday approved $10 million in the state’s competitive school security grant program for hardening buildings, purchasing cameras, electronic locks, ballistic glass and other measures. The commission’s last meeting of the calendar year lasted 43 minutes as members approved more than […]

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Lack of bidders delays Norwalk’s historic Lockwood-Mathews Mansion renovation project

Extensive renovations on the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion hit a roadblock when nine aspects of the project received no bids for the work. The city will resubmit a request for proposals for contractors to conduct work on the historic mansion after an RFP from October garnered too few bids, officials said. In May, the mansion released plans […]

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Torrington schools need $32 million in repairs, upgrades, engineers say

A recent review of the city’s school buildings revealed an estimated $32 million needed for repairs and upgrades at Vogel Wetmore, Forbes, Torringford, Southwest and Torrington Middle School. Included are heating and air-conditioning work, plumbing repairs, roof repairs and renovations to various areas of the buildings. Much of the needs are maintenance-related, according to Petrucelli, […]

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Public park atop Norwalk garage and 420 apartments center of Webster lot plan

A project nearly 20 years in the making broke new ground last week as plans were presented for a revamped Webster Street parking lot that include a public park. At the Dec. 1 meeting of the Common Council’s Economic and Community Development Committee, project designers outlined plans for a 650-spot parking garage and 420-unit apartment […]

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With $150 million on the line, CT school districts submit 130 applications for ventilation improvements

A new grant program has demonstrated widespread demand for funding to improve air quality in Connecticut schools, as experts continue to cite ventilation as a key tool in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses. According to the state’s Department of Administrative Services, Connecticut school districts submitted 130 applications for a new $150 […]

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State bond commission to consider tens of millions in economic development aid for key projects statewide

The state Bond Commission will vote Thursday on hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and funding for efforts and initiatives across the state, including $12 million for the city of Middletown’s ambitious plan to revive its industrial riverfront. The Bond Commission is scheduled to meet in a special session Thursday. Items placed on the […]

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As Energy Prices Soar, Avangrid Places Blame on Companies Generating the Electricity

High electric bills have become a fact of life for Connecticut residents, who paid the highest bills in the country outside of Hawaii in 2021, and combined with lingering frustrations over lengthy power outages after recent damaging storms, so is outright public anger at United Illuminating and Eversource. It was no surprise then, that announcements […]

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Branford developer proposes 14 duplexes near Route 15 in Woodbridge

A Branford developer has submitted an application to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission proposing to build more than a dozen duplexes near the Wilbur Cross Parkway. Litchfield Turnpike LLC, based in Branford, has proposed a 14-lot subdivision on Merritt Avenue for the purpose of building a residential development called the Enclave at Woodbridge. The […]

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Lamont dines at White House, then lobbies Buttigieg over infrastructure

He took his wife, Annie, to the White House dinner honoring the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his top transportation officials, Joseph J. Giulietti and Garrett Eucalitto, to meet with the secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg. Lamont said the trio made a pitch to Buttigieg about how Connecticut, with an aging infrastructure and a share […]

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Bridgeport Says Goodbye To Historic Pleasure Beach Bridge

The historic Pleasure Beach Bridge located in Bridgeport which once connected the city’s East Side of Bridgeport to the small island will be getting demolished within the next few weeks, city officials said. City officials said they have contracted with Terry Contracting for the project, with the hopes of solving many safety issues. The bridge’s […]

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Waterbury, Conn.,Transformation Continues With Mixmaster Project

The transformation of downtown Waterbury, Conn., is taking place with the rehabilitation of 10 bridges that connect Interstate 84 and Route 8. The Mixmaster, which was opened in 1968, features stacked bridges that the Connecticut Department of Transportation called “an engineering feat that addressed the area’s challenging topography.” While the Mixmaster has undergone multiple major […]

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The Beam, a 203-unit apartment complex in New London, moves towards completion

Built on a once vacant site in the Fort Trumbull area, a five-story, 203-unit apartment building on Howard Street is moving towards completion. After a little more than a year of construction, the approximately $30 million project is almost halfway done and leasing is expected to start soon. The developer, New Haven-based commercial real estate […]

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New Milford High School fire prompts new safeguards to prevent blazes at construction projects

The Town Council unanimously approved a hot work ordinance — new rules prompted by a July roof fire at New Milford High School — at its meeting on Monday. Fire Marshal Kevin Reynolds requested the ordinance at the Council’s Oct. 24 meeting. He said having such an ordinance would allow for better oversight of local construction […]

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Redevelopment of deteriorating MLK Apartments near Hartford Colt complex hits another snag in delays, climbing price tag

A redevelopment of the deteriorating Martin Luther King Apartments near downtown has won key public funding but construction isn’t likely to get started until next summer, more than a year later than first anticipated. The cost to demolish and rebuild the low- and moderate-income rentals in the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood and blend them with market-rate […]

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Stamford’s inability to decide how to fix the West Main Street Bridge has cost the city $850,000

While city leaders have again and again debated what should be done with the run-down bridge, a federal grant awarded to Stamford in 2012 to replace the structure has expired. The more than 130-year-old bridge, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and also called the Purple Bridge, closed to motor vehicles […]

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Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act One Year Later

On Nov.15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law, a bill commonly referred to as the bipartisan infrastructure bill. This historic piece of legislation provides a once-in-a-generation investment of $1.2 trillion dollars into the nation’s infrastructure; positively impacting urban and rural communities across the country by rebuilding roads and bridges, […]

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Ørsted, Eversource to partner with Mystic Aquarium to study offshore wind’s impact on marine life

In a news release, Ørsted and Eversource, the energy companies behind Revolution Wind, said the research will be funded by a $1.25 million grant they awarded to the aquarium last year. Through the partnership, aquarium scientists will investigate marine mammal strandings before and after construction and operation of offshore wind farms; develop technology to assess […]

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A week before referendum, residents still have questions about boosting Farmington High School construction budget

With a small turnout and divided opinions at the town meeting Monday night, there was no clear signal of how Farmington will vote at next week’s referendum on budgeting another $9.4 million for the new high school. Either way, it became clear in October that Farmington cannot replace its high school for $135.6 million, the […]

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CT Department of Transportation to get a new leader

The press conference formalized what has been set for months: Giulietti will step down as commissioner in December, and Lamont intends to nominate his well-regarded deputy, Eucalitto, to run ConnDOT at a crucial juncture for the rebuilding of highways and mass transit in America. Federal transportation funding is at an all-time high, available to Connecticut […]

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Danbury moves ahead with ‘very exciting’ career academy after buying, rezoning west side hilltop

The city has acquired a 24-acre hilltop on the west side, moving forward its ambitious plans to open the first career academy of its kind in Connecticut by 2024, and provide badly needed classrooms for a student enrollment that has outpaced projections. Danbury closed on the Apple Ridge Road property formerly used by Cartus Corp. […]

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Zone change spurs progress

The Zoning Commission on Nov. 16 approved text changes to the land use regulations that creates a special development district for a “combined working, service, shopping, retial, restaurant/dining, entertainment, recreation, residential, hotel, medical, technology, industry, educational, energy creation, office and other compatible uses in a coordinated environment.” The text change has an effective date of […]

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Latest plan for Greenwich train station offers ‘more modern approach’ to design, according to architect 

Architect Frank Prial Jr. walked the Planning & Zoning Commission through the proposed reconstruction of Greenwich Plaza at Railroad Avenue and spelled out the new look planned for the key gateway to Greenwich. A major redesign of the exterior and interior of the Greenwich train station would be carried out, including new and improved pedestrian […]

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On NIMBYISM and ‘opportunity’: Private developer tackles public problem of housing affordability

The $16 million, 40-unit Brookside Commons affordable housing development is going up on 16 acres next to the Target store on Route 85 in Waterford. The commercial strip stands in stark contrast to the neighborhood around the former Cohanzie Elementary School where, several years ago, Foley made a failed bid to construct four new apartment […]

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