UHart’s biz school debuts $5M expansion

University of Hartford’s new addition includes a state-of-the-art trading floor with Bloomberg ticker and an analytics lab. The University of Hartford this week unveiled a new state-of-the-art learning and collaboration space at the Barney School of Business. The 10,000-square-foot addition, and additional 13,000 square feet of renovated space at the university’s Auerbach Hall, cost $5 […]

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Hartford’s $23M Arch Street apartments leasing quickly after Aug. debut

The fourth and final phase of Hartford’s Front Street District is now complete with the recent opening of a new $23 million apartment complex. Residents of the 53-unit, 81 Arch St. apartments overlooking UConn’s Hartford campus began moving in Aug. 1, said Peter Christian, director of development and acquisitions for Greenwich-based HB Nitkin Group, the […]

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Norwalk Planning Committee advances master plan

The full Common Council will get their chance to review and potentially adopt the 10-year master plan for the city, after the Planning Committee advanced it on Thursday. The goals of the Plan of Conservation and Development aim to fulfill the city’s vision for the future, which includes making it a “national example of a […]

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Kevin Rennie: Gov. Lamont needs a relaunch. Can he do it?

Labor Day provides an opportunity for leaders to relaunch their missions. Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration recognizes this, and the first autumn of a first term provides an opportunity for some renovations. This round could be better for Lamont and Connecticut if the governor has learned the lessons of the bitter past. https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-rennie-lamont-relaunch-0908-20190905-7o2li6m4i5gs5nqon2qdj7uyz4-story.html  

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State takes $25M loss on key downtown Hartford apartment redevelopment

A heavily subsidized downtown Hartford apartment project that was part of the city’s “six pillars” economic-development plan has fallen into foreclosure and forced the state to take a nearly $25 million haircut on its original investment, the Hartford Business Journal has learned. Elizon DB Transfer Agent LLC, of Greenwich, is suing in Hartford Superior Court, […]

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What’s new at CCSU: Construction continues as part of 10-year plan

Projects featured in this plan that have already been completed previously to this year include renovations to the Willard-DiLoreto complex, the Mid-Campus Residence Hall, Hilltop Dining Facility, a new nursing lab, a new food pantry facility and renovations to a social sciences hall that has since been named Ebenezer Bassett Hall after the first African-American […]

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Lamont, legislators: Quasi-publics are here to stay

All of the state’s 15 quasi-publics are subject to state audits, and their operations fall under the state ethics code and freedom of information act. But they have more freedom than state agencies in personnel, purchasing and contracting decisions. Lamont said the state’s Office of Policy and Management, which prepares the state budget, most likely […]

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DOL apprenticeship plan stirs debate among contractors

At issue is a proposal to exempt the construction industry from one element of the plan — the creation of Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) that would take over much of the standard-setting now done by DOL and state agencies. DOL has said it would exempt construction and the military from the program because those sectors […]

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No One Standing Down In Highway Toll Debate As Lamont Takes New Approach

Last week, the Connecticut State Building Trades Council and officers of the Connecticut AFL-CIO sent Democratic lawmakers a letter urging them to pass legislation to implement electronic tolling as quickly as possible. They said electronic tolls will raise $800 million for the Special Transportation Fund and 40% of that will come from out-of-state drivers who […]

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Offshore wind means real jobs, growth for Thames River

Work on turning State Pier into a modern, heavy-lift facility that supports offshore wind development will provide opportunities for welders, electricians, carpenters, and numerous other trades, and this is only the beginning. Once the pier is completed, that same skilled workforce will be needed to carry out the assembly work on the pier for offshore […]

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Can a $100M redevelopment plan turn Pratt Street into Hartford’s crown ‘jewel’?

Earlier this year, Shelbourne bought nearly all of the commercial buildings on Pratt St.’s south side, from 196 Trumbull St. to the building next door up to 57 Pratt St., and is part of a triumvirate of developer-landlords that recently unveiled an ambitious $100 million redevelopment vision they say would not just transform Pratt Street, […]

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Hinsdale School renovation focus of hearing in Winsted

The town already has set aside $315,075 in its capital improvement budget to cover costs related to renovations, improvements and additions to the school. Thus the town would not borrow more than $17,109,925. The town also is anticipating reimbursement from the state at $6,959,925, meaning it would finance over 20 years a total of $9,950,000. […]

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Lamont readies a transportation reboot

The state currently borrows about $800 million per year for infrastructure work, combining that with roughly $750 million in matching federal grants. But the DOT says Connecticut needs to spend at least $2 billion annually to make long-term repairs and strategic improvements. As originally proposed, tolls could raise about $800 million annually, according to administration […]

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Don’t Change the Rules for Construction Apprenticeship

The politics are tangled when it comes to the Trump administration’s initial decision—which still could change—not to include construction in its proposed apprenticeship rule revision. Including construction in the proposed plan could further accelerate the shrinking of the union segment by boosting open-shop training with more government support. Higher-paying union jobs can add to construction […]

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How to land a government construction contract

Construction companies sometimes see government contracting as prohibitively competitive and believe the pay is low and the bid requirements are too time- and effort-consuming. But this is not the case, and should not hold construction companies back from bidding on a sector that offers huge growth opportunities. It’s super important for a contractor to follow […]

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Downtown Danbury to get $4 million face-lift

The Streetscape Renaissance Project could begin as soon as mid-November, when voters will have decided whether Republican Mayor Mark Boughton or Democratic challenger Chris Setaro will lead them into a new decade. On one hand, more shops and businesses have closed than have opened in recent months — including Danbury Democratic Party chairwoman Andrea Gartner’s […]

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With zoning changes, Groton officials hope to boost growth around sub base

The zoning review is part of a larger Joint Land Use Study, through the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments and funded by the Department of Defense, that is analyzing economic conditions and zoning, as well as housing and transportation needs related to Electric Boat and the sub base, according to the presentation.  The town’s recently approved […]

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Construction on Arizona Replacement Border Barrier Begins

Construction crews broke ground Thursday on a small portion of the $664 million border fence project in the Arizona desert that is funded through President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration. Crews plan on installing 30-foot (9-meter) steel fencing to replace older barriers on two miles in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, next to the official […]

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Bridge work in Durham will run September to December

The town’s first selectman is alerting residents of upcoming bridge construction on Cream Pot Road this fall. The latest construction schedule from Loureiro has them installing detour signs and starting work Sept. 9, closing the road to through traffic Sept. 11, and opening the road Dec. 7,   https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Bridge-work-in-Durham-will-run-September-to-14373354.php

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Torrington Franklin Street redevelopment ready to launch

Mayor Elinor Carbone and several other city officials gathered in the Mayor’s Office Monday afternoon to announce the launching of the project. The project will create a “civic space” that is aiming to lure residents and others to the area and enhance the prospects of existing and potential future businesses in the immediate area and […]

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DOT timetable takes Plainville trail project through 2024

The state Department of Transportation, now in the surveying and design phase of extending the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail through Plainville, has provided a timetable for three phases of construction. This will finish connecting it to the rest of the 81.2-mile trail, which goes through Connecticut and Massachusetts.   http://www.bristolpress.com/BP-Plainville+News/357009/dot-timetable-takes-plainville-trail-project-through-2024

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CT DOT disputes report on highway spending

The state Department of Transportation says the report does not take population density into account, which means many of the states with the highest rankings in the report are those with the least population. The average population density of the 10 states receiving the best rankings is 81 people per square mile. Connecticut has 738 […]

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CT offshore wind may face some rough seas

The state and its offshore-wind-loving neighbors all face a year-end expiration of a federal tax credit that helps finance these projects – the first major attempts in the U.S. But in Connecticut some problems – including at least one self-inflicted one – could mean forgoing that money. https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/ct-offshore-wind-may-face-some-rough-seas  

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New plan cuts more than $1B off New York rail tunnel cost

The plan announced Friday envisions design and construction savings that would reduce the new tunnel’s estimated cost from just over $11 billion to $9.5 billion. Repairing the existing century-old tunnel that was damaged in 2012’s Superstorm Sandy, and is a source of frequent delays due to crumbling infrastructure, would cost about $1.8 billion, or about […]

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Norwich Public Utilities completes Hamilton Avenue gasline project

Norwich Public Utilities has announced the completion of its largest natural gas construction project for the 2019 construction season. During the project, 5,800 feet of natural gas main was replaced along Hamilton Avenue between East Main Street and Smith Avenue. Work on the project, which was completed entirely by NPU employees, began in April and […]

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Report: Potholes linger in CT’s road upkeep

Connecticut ranked 46th overall in Reason’s 2018 highway report. On spending, Connecticut ranks 46th in total spending per mile ($209,157) and 47th in capital and bridge costs per mile ($96,956). Despite its relatively small highway system — it is the nation’s 44th-largest — Connecticut sits in the bottom five in three of Reason’s spending-per-mile categories […]

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$14 million North Haven Police Department renovation complete

Construction on the building at 8 Linsley St. is finished and the department is fully operational in the renovated building. The renovation of the building cost about $14 million and a new townwide communications project, which included a network built in to the school district, cost roughly $4 million. The renovation will meet the department’s […]

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Study Ranks Every State’s Highway System, Finds Road Conditions Worsening In Important Categories

The 24th Annual Highway Report, based on data that states submitted to the federal government, ranks each state’s highway system in 13 categories, including traffic fatalities, pavement condition, congestion, spending per mile, administrative costs and more. Traffic congestion remains about the same from the previous report, with Americans spending an average of 35 hours a […]

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Middletown middle school project runs into hitches during demolition

During the demolition process, when the auditorium, music rooms, main office and guidance department areas were knocked down, workers discovered asbestos between the exterior wall of the building and cinder blocks, Gaylord said. Another unforeseen complication arose when the aging electrical wiring for the security and fire systems had to be redone in the “main […]

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It’s time to act on tolls: Op-ed

It’s time for the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly to demonstrate courage, call the Legislature into special session, and enact tolls. They need to stop dithering, and pretending that they need Republican votes. It’s clear that we need to return tolls to Connecticut. It’s time for Democratic leaders to stiffen their spines and get […]

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Connecticut launches first wind-power-specific auction process

Connecticut officials are looking to bolster the state’s renewable energy portfolio, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has released a request for proposals seeking up to 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind power. The state already has committed to purchasing 304 megawatts of electricity from the Revolution Wind project, one of the bidders selected […]

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On a fishing trip with Gov. Cuomo, Gov. Lamont discusses transportation, tourism, energy — and catches a few trout

Lamont said the two Democrats jumped quickly into the important issues of the day and how they could work collaboratively together to solve mutual problems. The topics included improvements to the Metro-North Commuter Railroad, which connects Connecticut to midtown Manhattan. They also discussed Cuomo’s recent push for “congestion pricing” in Manhattan that allows higher prices […]

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Lamont’s family fight with Dems over borrowing priorities

After sparring with legislators for much of the summer, the Lamont administration is sending lawmakers a clear message: Until lawmakers settle on even a short-term plan upgrading Connecticut’s aging infrastructure, other projects will have to wait. Ryan Drajewicz, the governor’s chief of staff, said the governor is standing firm on limiting borrowing for a priority […]

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Prevailing wages are important to workers, contractors and taxpayers

Prevailing wages do not increase the cost of publicly funded construction projects. In those states that have repealed prevailing wage laws, the promise of lower-cost public construction projects never materialized. Casually concluding that eliminating prevailing wage requirements will automatically reduce construction costs is an out-of-touch misconception of today’s economic environment. Prevailing wages create a level […]

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Construction workers prepare to battle former ally Trump

At issue is a deal gone bad between Trump and North America’s Building Trades Unions over a Labor Department apprenticeship initiative, the politics of which have grown more complicated since last month’s ouster of Secretary Alexander Acosta. Leaders of the union federation worry that the final version will undermine their own job-training programs and create […]

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Despite Federal Pushback, $2.8B Mass. Offshore Wind Project Will Proceed

Developers of the 800-MW Vineyard Wind offshore wind project in Massachusetts, set to be the first such utility-scale project in the U.S. and the country’s largest, say they are committed to push through on its $2.8 billion in construction despite a sudden Trump Administration permitting setback. On Aug. 9, the department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy […]

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Committee says ‘yes’ to downtown Torrington apartments, retail

A development project on Franklin Street inched closer to city approval Thursday after the Architectural Review Committee unanimously green-lighted the 60-unit, mixed-use complex. A hearing is set for Sept. 11 during the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Pennrose wants to have most of the design work completed before the fall deadlines to apply for tax […]

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In its largest case yet, New York’s DOL recovers $6M in unpaid construction wages

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has recaptured $6 million of wages that were illegally withheld from ironworkers and welders from November 2013 to December 2017 by their former employer, Maspeth, New York-based AGL Industries, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday. This is NYSDOL’s largest wage-theft recovery ever. AGL pleaded guilty to third-degree grand […]

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Stop-work orders issued at Stamford tower job

Inspectors with the Connecticut Department of Labor last week ordered two contractors, ASF Construction of Tarrytown, N.Y., and NB General Construction of Brewster, N.Y., to stop work on Atlantic Station at 405 Atlantic St., where the second of two big apartment towers is going up. Both companies were charged Aug. 7 with failing to provide […]

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State bonding gridlock stalls summer repaving funds

Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic legislative leaders repeatedly trumpeted their adoption of a new state budget “on time” in June, noting it gave cities and towns certainty about the grants they could expect. But for the second time in three years, Connecticut cities and towns haven’t received state funding crucial for scheduled summer road repaving […]

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Construction to begin on pediatric dialysis center

Hospital leaders broke ground on the Robert R. Rosenheim Foundation Dialysis Center on the fourth floor of Connecticut Children’s Tuesday morning. They expect to finish construction in six months and soon after begin treating young patients from across the state and region in need of dialysis for kidney failure. The Rosenheim Foundation donated $1.5 million […]

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Norwalk Redevelopment Agency approves design for final Washington Village phase

With groundbreaking scheduled for this fall, the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency approved updated recommendations for phase three of the Washington Village replacement project. Phase one, which is fully occupied according to officials, consisted of 80 apartments split between two buildings, of which 40 are public housing replacement units. Phase two, which is under construction, calls for […]

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New Canaan gas expansion construction project schedule

Crews from Burns Construction have already started this weeks work on New Canaan, Connecticut’s gas expansion construction project to install, and improve the town’s natural gas distribution system, and will continue construction on the project through Friday, Aug. 16, 2019. No work will be done on Saturday. Traffic flow will be maintained where it is […]

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Trump construction firm uses undocumented workers

The Trump Organization, according to The Washington Post, has used undocumented workers through its Mobile Construction Payroll LLC business unit to perform construction work at its winery and East Coast golf resorts for the last 20 years. The workers in question are from Latin American countries, and one told The Post that his supervisor encouraged […]

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Larson Continues Push For Carbon Tax In Congress, Massive Tunnel In Hartford

Larson said his carbon tax idea would raise more than double the amount of money needed for his proposed ten-year investment. In addition to fixing roads and bridges, carbon-tax money from Larson’s federal proposal would also be spent on energy research, community support, and rebates to low-and-middle class Americans. https://www.wnpr.org/post/larson-continues-push-carbon-tax-congress-massive-tunnel-hartford

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Construction of Coast Guard Museum to start in early 2020

The National Coast Guard Museum project planned for the city’s downtown waterfront is expected to enter the first phase of construction early next year. The final design, which was approved by the board earlier this year, features an 80,000-square-foot, five-story, interactive museum that is certified through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, a widely recognized […]

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Study: Workplace injuries drive rise in overdoses, suicides

Workplace injury significantly raises a person’s risk of overdose death or suicide, according to a study co-authored by Boston University researchers and published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. An injury serious enough to trigger at least one week off from work almost tripled the combined risk of suicide and overdose death among women […]

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City of Hartford scores another victory in court as judge clears way for development around Dunkin’ Donuts Park

The city moved swiftly in urging the courts to return control of the land around Dunkin’ Donuts Park to Hartford after a jury last month decided the city was justified in firing the previous builder of the ballpark and the surrounding area, known as Downtown North. The former development partners of Centerplan Construction Co. and […]

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MGM suit takes new tactic to blocking tribes

While potentially taking years to litigate, the lawsuit is likely to have an immediate political impact in Hartford. It appears geared to raise doubts about the tribes’ ability to legally develop off-reservation casinos or compete for exclusive rights to sports betting in the state. But the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribal nations, the respective owners […]

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Fairfield Public Works officials, construction company owner arrested in fill pile case

Superintendent of Public Works Scott Bartlett and Director of Public Works Joseph Michelangelo were arrested Monday. Bartlett is accused of accepting bribes to allow Julian Enterprises to dump truckloads of material containing lead and PCBs on property adjoining the town’s public works garage on Richard White Way. Jason Julian, co-owner of Julian Enterprises, was arrested […]

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Downtown Hartford’s parking lots could hold the key to grand list growth

An overabundance of surface parking lots in Connecticut’s Capital City has for decades been a drag on development, said Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Sara Bronin, one of the main proponents of no longer requiring developers to offer parking for newly built projects. Hartford’s high property tax rate — 74.29 mills, by far the […]

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XL Center could be sold to tribes under new proposal that would add gambling in Hartford

Lamont is calling for Connecticut’s two federally recognized Indian tribes to drop longstanding plans for an East Windsor casino in exchange for sports betting and other enticements, officials said. A source close to the negotiations said the state has discussed selling the troubled XL Center in downtown Hartford to the tribes, who would renovate and […]

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Offshore wind deal pushing forward at New London State Pier

Key players in the $93 million public-private investment to establish an offshore wind hub here say the deal has not been delayed by recent shakeups in Connecticut Port Authority leadership. Three months after Gov. Ned Lamont’s May 2 announcement of the deal, state and local officials, State Pier operator Gateway and Danish offshore wind giant […]

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Plainville contractor pleads guilty to stealing more than $3 million

A Plainville electrical contractor pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing more than $3.3 million from 300 employees. Sixty-two-year-old Lee Ferguson owns and operates Ferguson Electric and Ferguson Mechanical. According to the U.S. Attorney District of Connecticut’s Office, from 2013 to 2017 Ferguson deducted around $1.60 to $3.15 per hour from each of his employees’ fringe benefits […]

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Bridgeport tribal casino, internet gaming proposed in new bill

The bipartisan bill represents the latest step in Bridgeport’s nearly three-decade pursuit of a casino development. It does not yet have the support of Gov. Ned Lamont and faces other obstacles, like the threat of legal action, to passage and implementation. The bill allows the Mashantucket and Mohegan Pequot tribes, who run Foxwoods and Mohegan […]

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The prime contractor’s biggest struggle with prevailing wage compliance

If you are brand new to public works projects, start at square one: familiarize yourself with Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage laws to better understand what’s at stake (check out the US Department of Labor website). There are very real consequences for violations, such as payment of back wages, additional fines and penalties, prosecution, and other […]

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New Bridgeport power plant officially turned on

The 485-megawatt plant went online roughly a month ago, providing energy to thousands of homes and businesses throughout the state. It also set in motion plans to retire PSEG’s longstanding coal plant next door, which officials say is scheduled for June 2021. Monday was the official opening. That includes PSEG’s $600,000 Ready2Work program which helped […]

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Transportation worsens Connecticut’s already poor air quality: Getting There

According to the American Lung Association, all of our state’s counties receive a grade of “F” when it comes to the ozone. Metro-North mostly runs its trains on electricity, but its diesels are downright filthy as are local buses, though many fleets are converting to natural gas or electric operation. Even shipping by water contributes […]

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Ideanomics sues W. Hartford over property tax assessment

Ideanomics in a court filing said the $21.9 million assessment was “grossly excessive, disproportionate and unlawful.” Based on West Hartford’s 2019-2020 mill rate of 41.8, Ideanomics would owe about $918,834 in property taxes this fiscal year. Meantime, Ideanomics last week unveiled renderings of its planned sprawling West Hartford project — previously estimated at $283 million […]

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Tolls still a live issue

While the debate over electronic tolls may seem over for the summer, Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney said Thursday that discussions are ongoing and a proposal could include tolling on some bridges combined with additional borrowing. The bridge-only proposal is the newest variation of ideas put forward this year, with others consisting of […]

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Planned New Britain data center secures $55M tax break

The developer of a $1 billion fuel-cell powered data center in New Britain, slated to begin first-phase construction this fall, has secured a state tax break worth up to $55.2 million. It’s the largest benefit of its kind ever granted under the CI-administered relief program, which dates back well over a decade. The data center […]

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ENR New England Announces 2019 Best Projects Winners

The votes have been cast and the 2019 ENR New England Best Projects winners have finally been chosen. Three industry judges reviewed 43 projects located throughout the region, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. https://www.enr.com/blogs/8-new-england-news-and-views/post/47185-ern-new-england-announces-2019-best-project-winners

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CT June housing permits up 10%

Permits for new housing construction across Connecticut rose about 10.5 percent in June.  The permits were issued in 104 cities and towns the U.S. Census Bureau regularly samples. https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/ct-june-housing-permits-up-10

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Head of troubled CT port authority steps down

The chairwoman of the Connecticut Port Authority, Bonnie Reemsnyder, resigned Wednesday amid calls for her to step down by Gov. Ned Lamont. The authority also recently placed its executive director, Evan Matthews, on administrative leave, but has not stated the reason. Head of troubled CT port authority steps down

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Majority of transportation projects awarded to Connecticut companies; some big projects go to out-of-state firms

A review of Connecticut transportation projects over the past three years shows Connecticut companies are awarded state contracts over 80 percent of the time, although some major projects are performed by out-of-state contractors. In 2018, CT DOT awarded a total of 61 contracts worth $899 million to 35 different companies. https://yankeeinstitute.org/2019/07/22/majority-of-transportation-projects-awarded-to-connecticut-companies-some-big-projects-go-to-out-of-state-firms/

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Looney’s toll collecting days help shape position

In discussions with Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative leaders, Looney, the Senate president pro tempore, is pressing for a limited tolling plan and more state bonding to fund improvements to the state’s highways, bridges and rails. As they pursue a proposal that can pass the General Assembly, Looney believes his experience as a toll taker […]

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Ideanomics unveils virtual fly-through of $400M Fintech Village

“Fintech village will be a unique and special place the likes of which Connecticut has not seen, adapted to fit organically into the scale and footprint of the former UConn campus…,” The state has pledged $10 million to the development in exchange for the 330 jobs Ideanomics promised to create. https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/ideanomics-unveils-virtual-fly-through-of-400m-fintech-village

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General Assembly Easily Approves School Construction Grants

Touted by lawmakers as the smallest school construction package in years, $160.5 million in grants for eight new school construction projects was passed with little debate Monday.  Two of the eight new schools will be built in Fairfield, and one each will be built in Bridgeport, Enfield, Norwalk, Simsbury, Middletown, and Newington. The bill, which […]

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School Construction Advances While Bond Package Stalls

In addition to attempting to override one of Gov. Ned Lamont’s vetoes Monday, the General Assembly is expected to approve school construction funds for eight schools in seven towns. However, negotiations on the annual bond package, which is the amount of money Connecticut borrows for infrastructure improvements, have hit a wall. Lamont’s offer to use […]

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Groton Water Treatment Plant upgrade more than halfway complete

The $54 million project, which received a $15 million state grant, includes constructing a new nearly 20,000-square-foot building for treating and processing water and two new above-ground storage tanks, while repurposing elements of the 1939 facility, according to Groton Utilities. R.H. White Construction Co. of Massachusetts is the general contractor on the project. The water […]

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DOT plans I-395 lane closure to complete bridge upgrades

For 10 days starting Friday evening, the state Department of Transportation will close the southbound lane of Interstate 395 in Waterford to complete a $6 million bridge rehabilitation where the highway crosses Route 85. The project replaces the bridge deck and parapet, and installs a precast concrete median barrier that will be safer than the […]

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Dan Haar: What bridge tolling in CT would look like

Tolling a dozen “deficient” bridges – the number that’s being bandied about at the Capitol — at 50 cents a trip for all vehicles would raise $210 million a year, before expenses. We could charge trucks a bit more, maybe bring it up to $250 million, but that’s the reasonable limit. These are my calculations […]

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Head Of Connecticut’s Port Authority Placed On Leave

Evan Matthews, head of the quasi-public agency responsible for promoting investments in Connecticut’s three deepwater ports, has been placed on administrative leave. The news comes as the state continues work to finalize a $93 million public-private investment in New London’s State Pier. In an email Thursday, Governor Lamont’s Director of Communications Maribel La Luz, confirmed […]

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Acosta to Resign as Labor Secretary Over Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal

President Trump’s embattled labor secretary, R. Alexander Acosta, on Friday announced his plans to resign as controversy lingered over his handling of a sex crimes case involving a financier, Jeffrey E. Epstein, when Mr. Acosta was a federal prosecutor in Florida. Mr. Acosta’s resignation, effective July 19, brings to four the number of cabinet agencies […]

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The Parks and Recreation Department wants to complete a renovation of the pool at Page Park

The Parks and Recreation Department is eying a complete renovation of the pool at Page Park, as well as additional improvements in the park that will total $3 million. Joshua Medeiros, superintendent of Parks and Recreation, said the current pool was installed in the 1950s and it needs an “overhaul” to be safe and accessible. […]

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Ideanomics to meet with neighbors of UConn’s former West Hartford campus, unveil project design next week

Ideanomics CEO and President Alfred Poor sent letters to neighbors of the former UConn campus in West Hartford, letting them know that company representatives will be canvassing the area next week in advance of the company’s project design reveal. Ideanomics, a China- and New York-based company focusing on financial services technology, purchased the former UConn […]

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Bigger public buy-in may resolve trash-plant redevelopment stalemate

Under an agreement inked this week between the state’s selected developer, Sacyr Rooney, and the quasi-public Materials Innovation Recycling Authority (MIRA), which oversees the Mid-Connecticut plant and related facilities, MIRA agreed to finance the waste-to-energy portion of the project entirely on its own — a cost estimated at between $120 million and $140 million. That […]

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Federal judge clears path for $1B railroad bridge plan in Norwalk

A federal judge has cleared the way for state and federal transportation officials to move forward with a $1.1 billion project to replace a 122-year-old movable railroad bridge in Norwalk. The existing Walk Bridge, or Norwalk River Railroad Bridge, carries four tracks that serve about 200 trains daily, including Amtrak. The U.S. Department of Transportation […]

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Lamont rules out Malloy’s executive order on tolling plan even if legislature remains tied up on issue

Lamont told reporters on Tuesday that he has no plans to direct the DOT to proceed if he is unable to get House and Senate majorities to authorize an electronic highway tolling system. The first-term Democrat also had no progress to report Tuesday concerning his discussions with General Assembly leaders, or his plans to recall […]

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$45M train station project planned for Greenwich

The Greenwich Transportation Center will undergo a large-scale redevelopment that organizers say will be launched next year through a public-private partnership. The plan is to begin construction in a little more than a year and have the project completed in about 18 months. Under the project outlined Tuesday, the current building would be demolished, but […]

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Tweed Airport Wins Runway Lawsuit

The Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority along with the City of New Haven sought to invalidate a state statute that limited the runway’s length to 5,600 feet. The appeals court noted that Tweed’s runway is one of the shortest commercial airport runways in the country and that it lacked nonstop flights to Orlando, Boston, Washington, D.C. […]

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Remediation work on Middle Street is in final phases

The remediation work on the PCB-contaminated brownfield property at 894 Middle St. is in its final phases. The council voted to make an additional appropriation of $350,000 within the Capital Projects Fund for environmental engineering at the site. The city began the remediation work last April, with a $1.3 million grant from the Connecticut Department […]

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Getting There: When tolls fail in CT, what’s plan B?

Our bridges are still corroding, our highways are still potholed and our trains are running slower than ever. Transportation is grinding to a halt, and with it our state’s economy. Something must be done. The money must be found. It is clear that the Special Transportation Fund is headed into the red unless additional funding […]

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State legislature expected to return July 22 to vote on construction money for towns and cities

With state legislators on vacation in the middle of the summer, lawmakers expect to return to the state Capitol as soon as July 22 to vote on the annual bond package to pay for municipal construction projects. When the regular legislative session ended on June 5, lawmakers said they would return to complete unfinished business […]

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