Middletown road work to improve access to Route 9 approaches final stages

Within a few days, state construction crews will be working on a busy downtown intersection as part of the final stages of road work being conducted downtown and in the North End area. State Department of Transportation officials, who offered updates Tuesday afternoon at a Zoom meeting presented by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s […]

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Key Exit Ramp Closes for a Year in Connecticut as Mixmaster Project Continues

The downside for drivers, at least in the short term, is that on Sept. 25, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) closed the ramp at Exit 33 that leads cars and trucks from Route 8 northbound to I-84 westbound for the next year. Chicago-based Walsh Construction Co. is performing the rehab of the Mixmaster interchange […]

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Pandemic delays West Haven retail project; ‘heavily invested’ developer says it’s coming

Developer Matt Armstrong said demolition, now in the beginnings, should be completed by the end of next year and construction should start the following year. The outdoor waterfront retail and dining center – seen by many as a potential savior for the financially ailing city – has been in the works for more than five […]

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Iconic Pirelli building begins transformation, one of 2 major developments underway in New Haven

Bruce Redman Becker’s Hotel Marcel, a reuse of the city’s iconic Pirelli building, plans to be open next fall despite the hit the hospitality business has taken since the response to coronavirus pandemic crushed the economy. Becker said Wednesday that the historical aspect of the building, its unique design, its sustainability features as the first […]

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Construction to begin this year on 30 apartment rentals in Blue Hills affordable housing community

The development team behind the affordable housing community, Overlook Village Associates, will spend nearly $16.8 million on the six-acre parcel, which will consist of 24 affordable units and six market-rate apartments when it’s completed in 2022. The city of Hartford is offering the developer tax relief on the affordable units. Mayor Luke Bronin is asking […]

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Groton, New London, Norwich to receive grants for school improvements

Groton, New London and Norwich are slated to each receive grants of $477,647 to improve their schools, state legislators announced Tuesday. The state Bond Commission authorized on Tuesday $30 million in funding for the state’s 33 Alliance Districts to use towards eligible projects, such as improvements to heating and ventilation systems, communications and technology systems, lighting, […]

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Construction underway for new sports fields in Milford

There’ll be many happy sports players come winter, when construction on two large turf fields in Milford will be completed. One of the fields is at Jonathan Law High School, on Lansdale Ave., and the other is by Foran High School, on Foran Road. Construction on both projects broke ground over the summer. Together, they […]

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State presses ahead with plans for $20 million pedestrian bridge in New London

The National Coast Guard Museum Association has submitted an application to the city for construction of a 400-foot glass-walled pedestrian bridge to span Water Street and connect the downtown with the waterfront and future Coast Guard museum. The state has authorized and approved up to $20 million for design and construction of the bridge, which […]

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Anna Reynolds School renovation on the ballot for Newington voters

The referendum question asks whether to approve $33.5 million in bonding for a renovate-to-new building project at the elementary school. Local taxpayers would be responsible for up to $17.5 million of the cost of the project. School building grants from the state would cover the remaining cost. The town council voted unanimously to have the […]

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CT DOT outlines plans for nearly $4 billion in capital projects

To keep up with the wear and tear, the state Department of Transportation is constantly working on maintenance and improvement projects. The most important of those initiatives are outlined every four years in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. The DOT is receiving public comments on the draft version of the latest STIP, to cover the […]

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Windsor Locks selectmen amend agreement with sports complex developer

The Board of Selectmen has approved a series of amendments to the credit enhancement agreement for the proposed All Sports Village complex. The proposed complex, at the northeast corner of Old County Road and Route 20, is in a Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, district. TIF districts allow municipalities to provide annual rebates of taxes […]

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Labor Department proposes revision of independent contractor test

The proposed regulation includes an “economic reality” test to help determine whether individuals are in business for themselves or economically reliant on an employer. Part of the test includes two factors — whether the person has the opportunity for business profit or loss and to what degree they control the work they perform. Other factors […]

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Construction on Hinsdale School delayed

Town Manager Robert Geiger told the Board of Selectmen Monday night that he had met with school officials about the renovations and addition to Hinsdale School, originally slated for completion by September 2022. “It will take two to three months for the contractors to look at them and another few months before we see returns,” […]

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Waterford Airport property ready for takeoff

Vacant for 37 years, what’s known locally as “the Waterford Airport property” at 140 Waterford Parkway South is once again a target for development, this time by Fabcon Precast, a concrete manufacturer based in Minnesota.  At 188 acres, the airport property value is currently about $4.3 million, according to the town tax assessor’s office. Fabcon […]

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Labor unions and elected officials blast Amazon for construction practices at new Windsor site

Dave Roche, president of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council, said the company refused to entertain any proposals put forth by organized labor, while hiring out-of-state workers from states with high infection rates and not requiring them to be tested or quarantined. Sal Luciano, president of the Connecticut chapter of the AFL-CIO, called on Gov. […]

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Bill aimed at averting government shutdown would fund two Columbia-class subs

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday unveiled a short-term spending bill that would avert a government shutdown — and allow the Pentagon to move forward with contracts with Electric Boat for two new Columbia-class submarines. A short-term bill is needed to continue government operations after the end of the federal fiscal year, Sept. 30. But […]

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Developer of housing at Milford mall wants to create ‘live-work-play environment’

Regulations changes to allow construction of a large scale apartment building at the Connecticut Post Mall are necessary to stabilize the mall economically, representatives of property owner Centennial Real Estate told the Planning and Zoning Board. The PZB did not vote on the proposal, instead continuing the public hearing to its Oct. 6 meeting. The […]

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Amazon is expanding its network of Connecticut warehouses, drawing protests from organized labor for its reliance on nonunion contractors

“We’re going to put Amazon on notice about the exploitation of workers,” said Joe Toner, president of the Hartford Building Trades Council. The building trades unions, Connecticut AFL-CIO, leaders of the General Assembly’s Labor Committee and others say Amazon’s hiring of out-of-state contractors on a 3.5 million square-foot distribution center in Windsor puts Connecticut at […]

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With millions of dollars at stake, CT’s diversity contracting program leaves minorities behind, reform advocates say

State agencies spend more than $100 million a year doing business with minority-owned small businesses in Connecticut, well exceeding targets enshrined in state law, but business people of color say they are getting short-changed. Connecticut’s supplier diversity program, commonly referred to as a contract set-aside program, directs most state agencies to make a good faith […]

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Doubletree by Hilton hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of an expanded hospitality complex in Bristol

The $25 million project will feature a new 50,000 square foot Bristol Event Center and a 90-suite HOME2 Suites by Hilton hotel on six acres behind the existing hotel, which is located off Route 229. Construction is estimated to take 18 months. The groundbreaking was attended by Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu and representatives of the Central […]

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Israeli company seeks to buy Oxford power plant owner

When completed, the deal with Competitive Power Ventures would give Tel Aviv-based OPC Energy its first entry into the U.S. power generation market. The terms of the letter of intent call for OPC to spend up to $800 million to acquire a 70 percent ownership stake. The Towantic Energy Center power plant is located in […]

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Athletic projects at Yale, Sacred Heart remain on schedule during global pandemic

“As of right now, everything has been on schedule,” Yale Director of Athletics Vicky Chun said. “When COVID hit and the school shut down, everything was halted for capital projects. Construction at Reese Stadium, site of soccer and lacrosse practices and games, and Yale Field remains on schedule. “Yale Field, that is to complete renovations […]

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Company secures approvals for New London apartment complex, drops plans at Fort Trumbull

Pennsylvania-based A.R. Building Co. has secured approvals to start a third project in the city: an 89-unit apartment complex at 22 Georgetown Road. The Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday approved the coastal site plan and site development plan for the Georgetown Road project, the last major hurdle for the project to move forward. Construction […]

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‘Isn’t even for Hamden’: Residents decry proposed 15-acre solar field

The energy generated from the solar field would be sold to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System and used for power at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, according to plans filed with the Connecticut Siting Council. The panels are expected to generate more than 3,000 megawatt hours in the first year, enough […]

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Middletown City Hall move could be ahead if bond issue passes

The passage of a $55 million referendum question on the November ballot could solve the problem of Middletown’s cramped and aging municipal offices, allowing a move to a much larger facility nearby on Main Street. The city’s municipal building, erected in 1958 at 245 deKoven Drive, has undergone additions and renovations over the decades, but, […]

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Amazon eyes third Windsor facility

Not only is the e-commerce giant currently constructing its second major facility in town — a $230 million, 823,000-square-foot fulfillment center on former tobacco farmland at 1201 Kennedy Road and 1 Joseph Lane — it’s planning a third major location there. Amazon is seeking town approval to repurpose an existing 154,496-square-foot light industrial building at […]

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‘Cruise ship on land:’ Resort-style complex, other development projects take shape in Trumbull

Traffic problems on Strobel Road, Spring Hill Road and along Route 111 could be easing relatively soon, according to a review of some of the infrastructure improvements around town. With Trumbull High closed from March to September, work on Strobel Road proceeded almost without interruption, Mascia said. As a result, the project is “on track […]

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Eversource quietly pitches $700M in borrowing to CT

Eversource Energy is asking Connecticut lawmakers to authorize $700 million in borrowing to blunt the impact of losses from Tropical Storm Isaias, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rollback of a recent rate increase. The theory behind securitization plans is simple: Rather than hit ratepayers with a big increase due to extraordinary losses by a utility, […]

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Governor attends Steele Center groundbreaking

After rescheduling the event once, Wednesday morning marked the beginning of one of two major construction projects happening in Berlin. That was until some Connecticut residents who are fed up with the governor’s coronavirus precautions arrived to interrupt the event and make their voices heard. The protestors called Lamont “King Ned” in response to Lamont […]

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Lawmakers move toward reimbursements for electric outages

As majority Democrats shape the special session, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney of New Haven said the top of the agenda would be a so-called take-back-our-grid bill in response to Isaias, the recent tropical storm that knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of residents. Looney and Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz […]

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Hartford approves purchase, redevelopment of Ann Uccello St. properties

In a unanimous vote Monday night, Hartford City Council approved the $17,000 purchase of 522 and 532 Ann Uccello St. from social services nonprofit House of Bread Inc. The city’s Department of Development Services has determined that its purchase of the Ann Uccello properties is “a key component” of the so-called “Salvin Block” project, records […]

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Connecticut jobless to receive additional $300 starting this week from new federal program

The additional money, $300 a week, will be paid retroactively for those who qualify and will be paid for six weeks, the Connecticut Labor Department said. This will provide thousands of unemployed workers in the state with an additional $1,800. The federal aid is a slimmed-down version of a program created by legislation addressing the […]

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The redevelopment of student housing in the heart of downtown Hartford could be begin in November

A crucial component of an ambitious, $100 million redevelopment of downtown Hartford’s Pratt Street corridor — the conversion of student housing behind the Lofts at Main and Temple into apartments — could begin in November, even as the duration of the global pandemic remains uncertain. The $9.1 million conversion also includes improvements and upgrades to […]

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Proposal would transform Main Street in downtown Hartford by adding a roundabout, cycling lane, medians and more

The ideas were shared earlier this month during a public design workshop for the city project, which seeks to make a safe, walkable corridor out of the historic center of the capital city. A final public workshop is tentatively planned for October. A $250,000 grant will cover the cost of the preliminary design work, but […]

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Bethel elementary renovations ‘beautiful,’ despite some delays

The $65.8 million renovations to Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools are mostly complete, but work continues on spaces including the gyms and cafeterias. Those areas should have been complete by the start of the school year, but school officials note those spaces are not being used anyway, due to coronavirus precautions. The construction company cited […]

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Zoning change sought at mall to allow ‘luxury’ units

A proposed zoning regulation change to allow for a 300-apartment “luxury residential community” at the Connecticut Post Mall comes before the Planning and Zoning Board with a 7 p.m. public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 15. Dallas-based mall owner Centennial Real Estate proposes constructing the apartment building at the location now occupied by the closed Sears Auto […]

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In update to Northwest group, DOT deputy says traffic has been down since start of pandemic; most staff working in-person

State Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto gave members of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments an overview of how the 3,000-person agency is operating during COVID-19. As expected, traffic is down since the start of the pandemic because of the decrease in workday commuting, but cases of speeding and fatal accidents are on […]

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Stonington PZC holds Tuesday hearing on downtown Pawcatuck apartment building

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a virtual public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday on a special permit application to construct an 82-unit apartment building on the former Campbell Grain building site in downtown Pawcatuck. Plans call for a five-story, 116,000-square-foot building building with parking under the building and on site and a riverfront […]

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Hartford developer completes $32M Wethersfield apartment development

A Hartford apartment developer is cutting the ribbon Wednesday on the second completed phase of a new $32-million apartment complex on Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield. Lexington Property Management LLC, an arm of area developer Martin J. Kenny’s Lexington Partners LLC, this summer debuted a five-story, 111-unit apartment building at 1178 Silas Deane Highway as […]

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Newtown voters to decide fate of affordable housing at former psychiatric hospital

The longstanding debate about whether housing belongs on the town’s Fairfield Hills campus will be on the Nov. 3 ballot along with Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The referendum about whether to allow housing as part of a commercial redevelopment in no more than two of the empty former psychiatric hospital buildings on the Fairfield […]

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Milford PZB approves $20 million plan for housing, retail on Green

The Planning and Zoning Board has approved a proposal for a mixed-use project with 77 apartments, retail space, and offices at 125-135 Broad St. The plan, which generated significant public comment, was approved unanimously; the approval included the condition that Metro 135 LLC submits an updated landscaping plan. Those in favor who wrote or spoke […]

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CT’s billion-dollar sewage problem hits cities hardest

Millions, possibly even billions of gallons of stormwater containing untreated sewage enter Connecticut’s waters each year, closing beaches, preventing shellfishing and harming marine life, according to experts. It’s an ongoing problem, and one that’s likely to impact the state for decades, costing at least another billion dollars, according to combined estimates from local authorities responsible […]

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Connecticut lawmakers will tackle school construction, utility accountability in special session later this month

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, a New Haven Democrat, said that school construction is a top priority for communities all across the state that receive reimbursements from the state in order to expand and improve their facilities. Another priority is focusing on utilities that have been in the news lately after widespread power outages […]

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Mixmaster, rail line work included in state DOT’s 4-year, $3.9 billion projects plan

The agency’s four-year outlook for capital projects, the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, contains 223 projects and $3.1 billion in federal funds that will be matched with $864.5 million from the state and $17 million from local governments. The largest projects in the document, which is abbreviated as STIP, include the $90 million signalization of the […]

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Anna Reynolds School planned renovation will hike up taxes for Newington taxpayers

Newington taxpayers will see their taxes increase by an average of $75 annually if the planned renovation of Anna Reynolds School moves forward. The project cost has been estimated at $35.5 million, but reimbursement from the state of Connecticut through a school building grant program is expected to bring the town’s projected cost to about […]

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AGC survey finds project delays, labor shortages worsening for construction

A new survey of contractors provides a bleak snapshot of the construction industry nearly six months into the coronavirus pandemic, finding that the share of contractors who have had future projects canceled or delayed due to COVID-19 has reached 60% — nearly double the amount from June. The results of the survey, which polled more […]

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Median crossover on I-84 set to go live early Friday

A bridge that carries Interstate 84 westbound over the Housatonic River will close for more than a year starting Friday. Median crossings will direct westbound traffic onto the current eastbound side of the Rochambeau Bridge, allowing all four lanes of highway traffic to stay open while the bridge is replaced. The crossings will be connected […]

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Torrington BOE holds public forum on school construction project

The board this week held a public forum on the project with architects from Kaestle Boos Associates speaking from the high school library. Kaestle Boos was hired by the school board to develop the project’s preliminary plans. Board Chairwoman Fiona Cappabianca repeatedly stressed during the forum that the high school, which was build in the […]

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New CT budget is $2.1 B in the red, but all may not be gloom and doom

Though Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration projects a whopping $2.1 billion deficit for the new fiscal year, which began July 1, that is based partly on pessimistic stock market projections from April that — at least so far — haven’t come to pass. Some legislators want to crack open the state’s record-setting $3 billion rainy day […]

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Middletown ceremony celebrates new Beman Middle School

Local dignitaries gathered Tuesday afternoon for a joy-filled, informal christening of the new Beman Middle School at the track which overlooks the massive building now under construction. With the $87.35 million construction project humming along in the background, Board of Education officials and city leaders spoke to several-dozen members of the community — several of them […]

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Torrington school proposal gets a forum

City residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed $74.6 million Torrington Middle/High School building project in a public forum Tuesday at 6 p.m. The public forum will be the first of three scheduled before the Nov. 3 referendum, in which city taxpayers will vote on the construction of the proposed $74.6 […]

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Windsor Locks PZC OKs sports complex development

Windsor Locks’ Planning and Zoning Commission members unanimously approved the All Sports Village development Wednesday during a special meeting dedicated only to the project and spanning about five hours. The commission passed the project on a 5-0 vote. Plans show that the principal developer, Andrew Borgia of JABS Sports Management, also proposed an outdoor championship […]

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DOT to hold virtual information session on Mystic Route 1 retaining wall repair project

The state Department of Transportation is planning a project to repair a nearly 100-year-old stone masonry wall on Route 1 (West Main Street), right before the intersection where the Baptist church is located in downtown Mystic, according to the DOT and the Town of Groton Facebook page. DOT will hold a virtual information session at […]

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Portion of Willis Street to be discontinued as public road to incorporate campus of Arts Magnet School

The City Council has voted to discontinue a portion of Willis Street as a public road to incorporate it into the campus of the planned Memorial Boulevard Intradistrict Arts Magnet School. The portion is between South Street and Memorial Boulevard, behind the school building. The city and the Board of Education are collaborating on the […]

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Brownfield work to clear way for waterfront revitalization in Middletown

Visitors to Harbor Park may have seen the start of construction there, addressing brownfields, erosion and other issues as the first steps of the decades-long effort to revitalize the city’s precious riverfront begins. In 2016, Middletown won a $2.6 million Urban Act Grant from the state Department of Economic Development to begin the planning, assessment […]

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Office, retail development coming to South Windsor’s Evergreen Walk area

Farmington’s Metro Realty Group is leading the project aiming to construct 50,400 square feet of medical office and 38,880 square feet of retail space on Buckland Road across the street from LA Fitness. It’s not clear when construction will begin on the development, or how much it will cost to build. Metro Realty declined multiple […]

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Demolition phase could be near for The Haven project in West Haven

The developers of the planned The Haven outdoor luxury mall await only a fire marshal’s signature before starting demolition for the project, city Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan told the City Council Monday, but council Chairman Ron Quagliani wants more: another appearance by the developer, and another timeline. Tiernan told the council in his update Monday […]

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$50M apartment proposal at Showcase Cinemas site leads East Hartford development project trio

After remaining a vacant eyesore for nearly 14 years, the town of East Hartford in early 2020 finally razed the former Showcase Cinemas building on Silver Lane in hopes of clearing the path for a potential mixed-use residential development. East Hartford Development Co. LLC — led by Domenic Carpionato, a principal at Rhode Island-based real […]

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Anna Reynolds School planned renovation will hike up taxes for Newington taxpayers

Newington taxpayers will see their taxes increase by an average of $75 annually if the planned renovation of Anna Reynolds School moves forward. The project cost has been estimated at $35.5 million, but reimbursement from the state of Connecticut through a school building grant program is expected to bring the town’s projected cost to about […]

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Amazon’s growing CT distribution footprint set to top 4 million square feet

An analysis of the e-commerce juggernaut’s presence in Connecticut shows that it currently occupies more than 3 million square feet in Windsor, North Haven, Cromwell, Stratford, Wallingford, Bristol, Orange and at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. It also plans to occupy another 1.1 million square feet at facilities in Windsor, Wallingford and Danbury in […]

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Facing scrutiny over rate increases, power outages, Eversource quietly files $500M smart-meter plan

Utility giant Eversource has been in the hot seat this past month, first for issuing unexpectedly high electric bills in July, and soon after, for its slower-than-desired response to an 800,000-customer power outage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias. Perhaps due to its sudden public relations emergency, Eversource hasn’t sought to draw much attention to an […]

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All’s not well with the new salt mountain at State Pier

A spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which actually has its own seat on the port authority board, said in an email Monday someone would be out this week to evaluate the new waterfront salt mountain and determine whether it complies with stormwater permits. Eastern Connecticut towns began paying considerably less […]

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Most expensive project in Stonington history almost complete

The $85 million Perkins Farm project, the most expensive development in Stonington’s history, is almost complete and developer David Lattizori acknowledges that there were many times when he didn’t think it would come to fruition. The project is composed of Harbor Heights, a 121-unit luxury apartment complex with amenities including an outdoor pool with LED […]

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Infrastructure starts plummet 31% in July, other sectors make small gains

Total construction starts sank 7% from June to July, pulled down by a staggering 31% decline in the nonbuilding sector, which includes infrastructure projects, while the nonresidential sector gained 3% and residential starts increased 2%, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge, said the numbers weren’t all bad news. “The July […]

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Public hearing for apartments at Trumbull mall postponed

A public hearing into a planned 260-unit apartment complex at Westfield Trumbull mall has been pulled from the Planning & Zoning Commission’s Aug. 19 agenda. The hearing will take place at a future meeting. The issue, according to P&Z Chairman Fred Garrity, is that the information the commission requested from the developers in July was […]

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CT regulators fine Eversource, UI $10K for lack of progress on shared renewable energy efforts

State utility regulators have fined the state’s two largest electric distribution companies $10,000 each for not making significant progress in developing pricing and billing mechanisms necessary for the implementation of shared renewable energy programs. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority levied the fines in a ruling issued late Friday. One of the areas in which PURA […]

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Eversource boss Jim Judge to face legislative hearing as lawmakers outline regulatory reforms

Jim Judge, the Eversource chairman and president who largely disappeared from public view after a massive power outage, will appear before the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee, whose leaders outlined bipartisan regulatory review legislation. Judge was roundly condemned for his refusal to join Gov. Ned Lamont in taking questions outside Eversource offices on Aug. 5, […]

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Lamont tells CT agencies to prep deep cost cuts for next budget

Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration has directed agencies to find ways to cut spending by 10% or more in the next two fiscal years as it anticipates a lengthy, coronavirus-induced, economic downturn. State finances are projected to run $2.5 billion in the red this fiscal year, which began July 1. But Connecticut’s emergency reserves have grown […]

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East Lyme affordable housing complex to break ground

Town officials have confirmed that a developer will soon break ground on an affordable housing complex near Rocky Neck State Park. The project, now known as Rocky Neck Village but which was originally proposed in 2013 by New London-based developers Jag Capital Drive LLC, now has all the permits it needs, Zoning Official Bill Mulholland […]

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Developer of New Haven’s ex-Coliseum site questioned on lack of details

Adding to the frustration was the length of time the public has been waiting for plans for the premium acreage to come together. It has been a year since Spinnaker agreed to take over the development and essentially adopt the original deal signed two administrations ago under then-Mayor John DeStefano Jr. But it had lingered for five […]

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Big step taken in revitalization of Berlin town center as work will begin on Steel Center

Located next to the Berlin train station, this is the first phase of a three-phase, $18 million project that will bring 76 market-rate apartments and 19,000 square feet of medical, restaurant, retail and office space. “At this point, they have the go ahead on renovating the existing building at 861 [Farmington] and starting new construction […]

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Hartford seeks to buy property, boost redevelopment potential of block near Dunkin Donuts Park, a critical link between downtown and northern neighborhoods

If the city council backs the purchase, it would solidify the city’s control of the corner of Ann Uccello and Main streets, adding to the adjoining vacant lot and the former Arrowhead Cafe building on Main Street. both already owned by the city. A public hearing on the purchase will be held Monday. The city […]

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Overhead, underground or boots on the ground: Hardening the grid would be costly

Over the past three years, Eversource customers paid on average $450 each to replace old utility poles, lines and other apparatus across Connecticut. Following the prolonged blackouts that Isaias left behind, many have called for utilities to better armor the rickety electrical grids operated by Eversource and United Illuminating. Lawmakers and regulators are left again […]

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Group seeks feedback on Danbury area transportation projects

The projects in various towns in the Danbury area could receive federal funding during fiscal years 2021 to 2024, the Western Connecticut Council of Governments said. Public comment on what is called the Transportation Improvement Program opens on Aug. 24 and runs until noon Oct. 9. The Housatonic Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization is developing the […]

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Mayor says plan to add luxury apartments at the CT Post Mall is ‘a terrible idea’

But even before the proposed mixed-use project gets its first hearing before city planners, Mayor Ben Blake said he is opposed to the plan and that it “would be a terrible idea” if approved. Centennial, which operates and develops retail and mixed-use centers across the country, has notified city officials that it wants to build […]

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Port authority extends time for salt distributor at State Pier; signs painted pink

The Connecticut Port Authority formalized an agreement with local road salt distributor DRVN Enterprises this week that will keep the company, and its massive pile of salt, at State Pier through the end of the year. The port authority met virtually on Tuesday to approve the agreement that will allow DRVN to remain through Dec. […]

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Mark Ojakian is retiring as CSCU president

Mark E. Ojakian, the influential behind-the-scenes operative at the State Capitol who became the high-profile president of the troubled Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system in 2015, persisting in a job that defeated two academics, is retiring at year’s end. Ojakian, who turns 66 in October, is leaving with significant work remaining on a second round […]

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Manchester OKs $140M Parkade development with housing, retail, office space

With an 8-0 vote Tuesday, Manchester’s board of directors approved both a development and tax assessment agreement for a $140 million project to turn the vacant Parkade lot into a commercial and residential hub. The board unanimously voted to approve the plan for the developer, Manchester Parkade 1 LLC, to revitalize the site and get […]

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Hartford’s $250M DoNo development nears groundbreaking

Hundreds of construction workers are expected to descend on the first phase of the so-called Downtown North (DoNo) development on “Parcel C” along Main Street in the next month or so, RMS Cos. founder and CEO Randy Salvatore said in a recent interview. The first phase, projected to cost $56 million, includes a 270-unit apartment […]

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CT will need emergency loan soon to bolster unemployment trust

Having paid out billions of dollars in benefits since the coronavirus pandemic struck in mid-March, Connecticut’s unemployment trust fund is headed for insolvency later this month or in early September, according state Labor Department officials. That means Connecticut will need an emergency federal loan to maintain benefits for hundreds of thousands of unemployed here — […]

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Storm Isaias packs potential multibillion dollar property damage punch as 2020 hurricane season is shaping up to be historic

The prospect of more turbulent weather — and damage — possibly coming to Connecticut comes on top of worries about the future of the COVID-19 pandemic. The day after Isaias struck Connecticut, Colorado State University’s department of atmospheric sciences intensified its forecast for the Atlantic hurricane season, which typically runs June 1 through Nov. 30. […]

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East Lyme selectmen request Board of Finance reconsider police building funding

The Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed Wednesday it again would ask the Board of Finance to consider a request to bond an additional $2.17 million to complete plans to renovate the new public safety building after finance officials previously denied that request last month. The Board of Finance was tasked in July to approve or […]

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PURA: Eversource was unprepared for its 800,000 outages

The chair of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority says that Eversource Energy badly underestimated the threat of Tropical Storm Isaias by preparing for between 125,000 and 380,000 outages, while more than 800,000  of its customers lost power at the peak and nearly 600,000 still were in the dark Wednesday night. PURA is opening an investigation […]

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Lembo: CT’s economic gains could slip away soon without more federal aid

“It’s decision time,” Lembo said. “Our state economy is showing signs of recovery from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but without a significant investment from the federal government, those gains may slip away, and Connecticut families and businesses will suffer.” The state has recovered more than 100,000 jobs that were lost when the […]

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$9.6B worth of infrastructure projects delayed or canceled during COVID-19

Infrastructure projects totaling more than $9.6 billion have been delayed or canceled in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). Sixteen states announced project delays or cancellations worth approximately $5 billion, while another 20 local governments and authorities have scratched or put […]

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$48M Ridgefield sewer project making progress

Despite the coronavirus pandemic halting most town government operations for several months, Ridefield’s $48 million sewage treatment proect is moving along. The renovation of the District I Wastewater Treatment Plant off South Street is making progress, according to Amy Siebert, chairwoman of the town Water Pollution Control Authority, which oversees all of Ridgefield’s sewer operations. […]

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Groton Town Council endorses plan for Groton/Noank Community Park and Garden

In a 5-3 vote, the Groton Town Council supported a long-term vision for the Noank School property that calls for a community garden, rain garden, walking trails, arboretum, Christmas tree grove, playground and youth soccer and lacrosse playing field. The decision comes after the council voted last year to terminate an agreement with the Noank […]

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