Mystic — Three and half years after a fire ravaged the Seaport Marine property, the owners of the 11-acre Washington Street marina property now plan a $13 million redevelopment. If approved, the project would not just replace what was destroyed in the fire, it would see major improvements to streets and sidewalks, improving public access and modernizing infrastructure. A four-alarm fire tore through the 11-acre marina property in November 2022, destroying a warehouse and home but leaving the 122 boat slips and facilities mostly untouched. The marina along the Mystic River is also home to the popular Red 36 restaurant, which was undamaged by the fire. “It’s really just an improvement of the facilities,” Seaport Marine General Manager Harry Boardsen said Tuesday.
The plans, received by the Planning Department March 17, include 2,100 linear feet of dock space, adding electrical vehicle chargers and 20-foot-wide sidewalks that will extend pedestrian access farther downriver from Mystic River Park. “We’re going to be able to carry that whole riverwalk even further down into Seaport Marine, so when you come across the drawbridge, you’ll be able to actually walk down the riverfront,” he explained. Plans also show that the project will fill in some missing sidewalk sections along Washington Street, which would complete the span of sidewalks running from Cottrell Street to Broadway Avenue and add some sidewalks south of Washington Street on Willow Street. “It’s definitely modernization and doing some nice things that the public will have access to,” Boardsen said. He said the work also includes putting in higher capacity electrical service and he hopes to be able to relocate some of the utilities underground. Boardsen explained that the impetus behind the project was to increase dock space for the marina’s transient docking patrons. The number of available slips in the 2,100 linear feet is not fixed, allowing the space to accommodate multiple sizes of vessels.

https://theday.com/news/870715/seaport-marine-plans-13m-redevelopment-in-downtown-mystic/

New London — Gov. Ned Lamont, flanked by other state and local cheerleaders for the nearly complete Revolution Wind project, took a victory lap Wednesday as they stood on the city’s waterfront and lauded the wind farm’s recent activation. As far as celebration sites go, it was likely hard to find a better backdrop for the day’s speeches. Lamont, Mayor Michael Passero, state representatives and union workers gathered at City Pier in the shadow of the under-construction National Coast Guard Museum and not far from State Pier where components for the 90% completed wind project were staged and assembled before being shipped to an installation site south of the Rhode Island coast. “That’s progress out there,” Lamont said, gesturing to the Wind Scylla turbine installation ship that was motoring through the Thames River and out to the newest wind farm, Sunrise Wind, being built in federal waters just south of Martha’s Vineyard. The Danish company Ørsted, which partnered with Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables on the 704-megawatt Revolution Wind project, announced two weeks ago that the installation had begun delivering power to the New England electrical grid — a milestone that Wednesday’s speakers noted did not come without some complications. Lamont and state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes both decried project delays they blamed on President Donald Trump’s push to halt the project twice last year. Those directives — Dykes called them “illegal moves by the federal government” — were ultimately blocked after being challenged in federal court.

https://theday.com/news/870096/celebrating-a-wind-driven-energy-milestone-in-new-london/

It is predicted that the next two years will be solid ones for contractors taking on bridge construction projects at the state level. Taking advantage of the opportunity for federal dollars flowing out of a new bridge formula program, state DOTs also are capitalizing on highway program funds and discretionary grants to repair and replace bridges across the country. That means more future construction. ARTBA reports that bridges are a big focus for any state highway programs. The association logged more than 27,000 structures in need of repair or replacement. According to the association, states now have access to the full $26.6 billion available in the new bridge formula program over five years. “Unlike the core highway program, agencies have four years to commit these funds toward eligible projects,” said ARTBA. As of December 2025, states have committed $15 billion toward more than 7,350 projects, nearly 57 percent of available funds. “And, as projects get under way, states have been reimbursed for $8.5 billion in work completed,” it said. In its 2025 bridge report, ARTBA found that 220,295 spans across the country need repair. It noted that 74,472 actually should be replaced. The association logged approximately 222,000 bridges in need of repair in 2024 and more than 76,000 needing replacement. Of the bridges needing repair, 41,677 are rated in poor condition — down from 42,067 in 2024 — and classified as “structurally deficient,” reported ARTBA. “Motorists cross these structures 163 million times a day,” said Alison Premo Black, ARTBA’s senior vice president and chief economist. Premo Black tracked and analyzed the bridge data and found that California was among states that declined in the number of bridges in poor condition: Iowa, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Nebraska rounded out the top five with the biggest drop in poor-condition spans.

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/mnsw-5026-lp/70852

The University of Connecticut has begun a major renovation of Gampel Pavilion, with the first phase of the project expected to be completed by November 2026. UConn’s athletic department said the multi-phase project will cost $99.4 million and is being funded through non-tax revenue generated by state-issued UConn 2000 bonds authorized by the General Assembly. Phase 1 includes a full roof replacement and the construction of a new basketball gameday suite. The suite will feature a recruiting lounge, sports medicine space, locker rooms for teams and coaches, a coaches’ lounge and conference room, an upgraded officials’ locker room, and a postgame press and meeting area. The university also plans to replace existing concession stands with grab-and-go options at the four corners of the arena bowl to reduce congestion and improve crowd flow. Future work is planned as part of a second phase, expected to begin in March 2027. That phase is expected to include new premium seating areas, donor-focused spaces intended to generate additional revenue, and expanded nutrition facilities for student-athletes. UConn has hired DPR Construction as construction manager, S/L/A/M Collaborative as lead designer, Legends Global as owner’s representative, and Jack Porter to design graphics for the basketball suite. Gampel Pavilion, located on UConn’s Storrs campus, is the primary home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.

https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/uconn-begins-99m-gampel-pavilion-renovation-project-unveils-new-renderings/

Montville — A Cape Cod developer wants to build nearly 1,000 apartments in central Uncasville, and the town estimates the sewer installation needed to support the project could cost up to $30 million. But that estimate is too expensive for the developer, All of Us At North LLC, according to a Tuesday memo from Land Use Director Dennis Goderre notifying the Planning and Zoning Commission of the company’s intent. The company’s registration shows an address in Hyannis, Mass., where its principals have a property development and management firm. So, the company is seeking state funding, Goderre said. Right now state officials are reviewing the funding request “and appear to be strongly considering this request for approval,” Goderre said. “The funding would be linked to housing, however the precise funding source is not clear to staff,” he added. No formal plans have been submitted to the town yet. The company is eyeing a stretch of land along Massapeag Side Road for the bulk of the development, between 600 and 800 units, close to the shore of the Thames River. It is bordered to the north by Teecomwas Drive and Driscoll Drive, and to its south by Derry Hill Road. The developer plans to build a number of affordable units, but did not say how many. That area is not currently served by the town sewer system. New sewers would need to stretch the length of Massapeag Side Road and Derry Hill Road to Route 32. Another part of the plan calls for up to 120 units split between two parcels on Route 32, one on the corner of Thomas Avenue and another farther north, not far from Mohegan Congregational Church. They’re in an area that already has access to public water and sewer systems.

https://theday.com/news/870368/developer-plans-almost-1000-apartments-in-uncasville/

NAUGATUCK — The borough will receive more than $2 million to enhance pedestrian walkability downtown as its the transit-oriented development continues to move forward. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, announced at a news conference Monday morning at Naugatuck Town Hall that she secured $2.5 million in federal Community Project Funding to support the downtown project. She was joined by Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess and other local and state officials. The funding will support improvements for multiple modes of transportation in the downtown area — including the construction of a pedestrian bridge, streetscaping, and development of a greenway along the Naugatuck River — as work continues on a new train station. DeLauro and Hess said they are excited about securing the funding. “It’s about connectivity and about vibrancy of a community,” DeLauro said. “It came at exactly the right time because we’re in the process right now of designing a pedestrian bridge that connects the west side of Naugatuck and the train station to the east side of Naugatuck, across the river, where we have parking right off the Route 8 on/off ramp,” Hess said. Hess said the borough is grateful for the funding, while DeLauro praised local officials for their vision to revitalize downtown. The proposed bridge would extend from the Hotchkiss Street area, where school buses park, to the site of the new train station. “It also enhances our greenway on the east side of the river,” Hess said. “So it connects the east and the west. It gives us more parking for downtown. It helps us with our greenway project for more walkability, and it’s just sort of the next big piece in where we’re going.”

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/waterbury/article/naugatuck-2-5m-pedestrian-bridge-downtown-project-22092488.php

Last week, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey held a press conference to address concerns around spiking utility bills. She touted growing wind and solar industries as crucial solutions to the affordability crisis, but also importing more fracked gas from out of state. “We have gas pipeline expansion on the Algonquin—that’s good!” she said from her podium, referencing a $300 million project to beef up natural gas infrastructure in the state via Enbridge’s Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline. “We need to continue to find more ways to bring energy in, and anything around gas pipelines that works out well with the ratepayers and is consistent with our regulations we’ll welcome.” Not long ago, this cozying up to fossil fuel in the state would have bewildered constituents of most political shades. After all, it was Republican Governor Charlie Baker who signed the 2021 law directing Massachusetts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, pivoting away from fossil fuels. One year later, Healey, then the state’s attorney general, bragged about sinking proposed pipeline expansion plans. “Remember,” she reminded her audience, “I stopped two gas pipelines from coming into this state.” (Governor Healey’s office didn’t respond to a list of questions sent over email.) But in recent months, Healey’s tone has shifted. “With Trump’s second term, we are seeing a pivot to pro-pipeline policies from Northeast Democratic governors,” says Itai Vardi, a researcher at the Energy Policy Institute, a group that advocates for renewable energy. Alongside Healey, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont have also embraced natural gas, following years of focus on renewables to secure energy supplies and chasing zero-emissions goals set for 2050.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/blue-governors-tacking-rightward-fossil-100000630.html

ENFIELD — A new application has been filed for the residential redevelopment of the former MassMutual campus. Branford-based MB Financial Group plans to reuse the office campus at 85 and 100 Bright Meadow Blvd., formerly home to insurance company MassMutual, as a 464-unit housing project with apartments, condominiums, amenities, and 12,000-square-feet of commercial space. In addition to retrofitting the existing three office buildings with 178 rental units, the project would build 157 condos on the large parking lots and provide for the construction of a new five-story apartment building with 129 units. The daycare and parking garage would remain, both intended to later support the residential development. MassMutual closed its Enfield offices and relocated to Springfield, Mass., in 2021. A previous developer proposed the “All Sports Village” sports and entertainment complex in 2023 and earned some approvals for the project in 2024, but it never came to fruition. Last year, MB Financial Group bought the properties for $4 million, submitted a zone change application in September, and earned a unanimous approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission later that month. The zone change moves the parcels to the recently established Special Development District, designed for projects like the new housing planned for the MassMutual campus and the pending Enfield Square Mall redevelopment.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/ct-massmutual-enfield-apartments-condo-22091728.php

3.5 million glass bottles on the wall. 3.5 million glass bottles. Take one down, pass it around, and it might end up as cement in Yale’s Physical Sciences and Engineering Building under construction. Yale’s ongoing construction on upper Science Hill will feature 600,000 gross square feet for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and more. In accordance with Yale’s promise to achieve net-zero carbon emissions on campus by 2035 and zero actual carbon emissions by 2050, the development will include a thermal utilities plant that will produce energy for the facilities. But even if operations are sustained by on-site energy production, creating a building from raw materials is quite carbon-intensive. Instead, some of Yale’s building materials will use Pozzotive, an industrial filler made from recycled glass such as drink bottles — the equivalent of 3.5 million of them, to be precise, according to a slideshow used during a recent tour of the glass recycling facility. At the tour last month, organized by several students at Yale’s School of the Environment, a group of Yale affiliates explored Urban Mining Industries’s facility in Beacon Falls, Connecticut, where recycled glass is processed and turned into a powdery building material known as pozzolan. Concrete is an essential building material for modern-day structures. Standard concrete consists of aggregate like pebbles or gravel, sand, water and cement — the powdered binding agent, often confused with concrete, that gives concrete its integrity.

https://yaledailynews.com/articles/recycling-plant-turns-glass-to-cement-that-supports-yale-construction

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has nearly 400 projects on tap for the next four years to repair or replace parts of the most heavily traveled roadways in the state — Interstates 84, 91 and 95 — and bridges all over Connecticut. The draft agenda is laid out in the recently released Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan for 2027–2030. The plan includes 380 projects statewide with a total cost of $5.5 billion. The CTDOT is programming $4.5 billion in federal funds matched by approximately $932 million in state funds and approximately $45 million from municipalities. Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration funding will include $13.8 million for public transportation operating assistance, $3.4 billion for highway and bridge capital programs and $1.1 billion for transit capital and operating costs. “It’s an important roadmap for hundreds of projects and billions of dollars’ worth of work,” Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesperson Josh Morgan said. Morgan said STIP is a federally required document that is frequently updated to outline a four-year spending commitment that shows where federal highway and federal transit administration money is going to go. “It has a lot of projects in there which are in the current STIP document like the Walk Bridge project in Norwalk, or the 691/91/Route 15 project in Meriden. The dollar amounts change. Think of project funding like a bell curve. That first or second year, you’re not spending as much, but then in those third and fourth years, when you’re really in the part of the project, you’re going to end up spending more because there’s more work happening,” Morgan said. Morgan said the STIP projects reach across all four corners of the state. Among the biggest projects are the Interstate-84 Pavement Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Danbury from the New York State line; Interstate-91/I-691/CT 15 Interchange Improvements in Meriden & Middletown and I-95 Gold Star Bridge Pedestrian Improvements in New London & Groton.

https://www.courant.com/2026/03/24/ct-dot-planning-hundreds-of-roadway-projects-with-5b-price-tag-heres-a-look/