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$150M plan seeks to redevelop aging CT cineplex into 300+ apartments, entertainment venue
Four months ago, the end credits rolled for the last movie shown at the Apple Xtreme Cinema, the lights were turned off and the cineplex boarded up. But now, there are once again scenes of coming attractions. A massive redevelopment planned for the 13-acre multiplex on New Park Avenue in Hartford — a project that could reach an estimated price tag of $150 million — could include more than 300 mixed-income apartments, with rents ranging from affordable — targeted at low-to-moderate income households — to market-rate, officials familiar with the plans said. The apartments would be built on what are now parking lots to the north and south of the theater, bookending a renovated cineplex that could retain a couple of movie screens alongside a new restaurant and bar — perhaps offering wood-fired pizza — and a game arcade. In the rear of the cineplex structure— opened in 2000 and also operated under such brands as Crown and Bow Tie — space would be converted to self-storage. The project also would put to a new use a cineplex built for another era when multiple screens responded to the demand by the movie-going public. The movie industry was battered by the pandemic and increasing competition from the small screen. Construction on “Edge 400” — its name drawn from the cineplex’s location near the town line with West Hartford in the city’s Parkville neighborhood — could begin by early 2027, bringing new attention to a less considered gateway to the city.
NextEra-Dominion deal would put CT’s Millstone nuclear plant under new ownership
Connecticut’s largest power plant would change hands under a merger announced Monday, in which Florida-based NextEra Energy would acquire Dominion Energy, the owner of the Millstone Power Station in Waterford. Millstone is the only operating nuclear plant in Connecticut, and its two reactors supply roughly half the state’s electricity and more than 90% of its carbon-free power, according to Dominion. The deal, an all-stock transaction valued at about $66.8 billion according to Reuters, would transfer control of Millstone to NextEra. NextEra, through a subsidiary, is the majority owner and operator of the Seabrook Station nuclear plant in New Hampshire, which sells its power into the regional grid operated by ISO New England, the same market Connecticut draws electricity from. If the merger closes, the combined company would own both Millstone and Seabrook — meaning a single company would control all of the nuclear power generated inside Connecticut, along with a significant share of the regional nuclear supply that reaches Connecticut homes and businesses. Seabrook is the second-largest nuclear plant in New England, behind Millstone. Neither company’s announcement of the deal — nor its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission — mentions Millstone, Seabrook, Connecticut or New England. The companies framed the merger almost entirely around growth in the South and soaring electricity demand from data centers, particularly in Virginia, where Dominion runs a grid serving the world’s largest concentration of data centers.
EB seeking approval for first conversion projects at former Crystal Mall
Waterford — Electric Boat, the new owner of the former Crystal Mall property, is awaiting state traffic approval tied to its renovation project and is seeking town approval to approve conversions of old anchor stores into training centers. EB wants to renovate the former Bed Bath & Beyond and Sears stores, according to Planning Director Mark Wujtewicz, who said he meets with EB officials weekly. The submarine maker has also applied for a building permit from the town. Wujtewicz said last week the company seeks approval for “selective demolition” and conversions of the two former retailers. The Sears space would be made into permanent workforce training facility, while the shell of the Bed Bath & Beyond will be made into a temporary workforce training center. “It would just be limited to this work,” Wujtewicz said. Wujtewicz said the company’s conversion of the former mall, which officially closed its doors at the end of March after 40 years in business, is proceeding on schedule. He added that EB’s purchase means the town has to rework its own long-term development plans and must abandon its vision of a mixed-use, business and residential operation. EB purchased the mall property last year after pressure from the U.S. Navy to deliver submarines. Moving some workers to Waterford would free up space in the Groton shipyard, which can’t expand because it has the Thames River on one side and neighborhoods on the other. The Groton shipyard could then focus more on building submarines.
Voters in Middlebury, Southbury approve Region 15 budget, $224M in school construction bonds
Voters in Middlebury and Southbury approved the 2026-27 budget for the Region 15 schools and gave the green light to bonding for new buildings to replace the district’s oldest elementary schools. The budget for the next fiscal year totals $95.6 million, a $4.86 million, or 5.4%, increase over the current $90.78 million budget, according to the regional school district. The total is the same figure that the school board adopted earlier this spring. Voters in the two towns served by the school district approved the spending plan, 2,679 to 1,618, according to unofficial results from the May 6 referendum. They also approved $224 million in bond funds for projects to replace the aging Gainfield and Pomperaug elementary school buildings in Southbury, 2,474 to 1,820. The new buildings are proposed for each school’s existing site. The buildings, if completed, would be larger, with each able to accommodate around 550 students. Both would also offer prekindergarten space as well. Region 15 Superintendent Joshua Smith said he hopes construction will begin in 2028, with the buildings completed by 2030.
Meriden’s $122M Pulaski school project added to the state school construction list
MERIDEN — The district has moved a step closer to building a new Pulaski Elementary School on the site of the former Meriden-Wallingford Hospital at 1 King Place. “We are excited that the Pulaski project has been included on the state’s school construction list,” Meriden school Superintendent Mark Benigni said in a statement. This clears the way for the city to receive funding to demolish the former hospital and make way for construction of a new state-of-the-art Pulaski Elementary School, Benigni said last week. “I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen, as this is terrific news for the entire city of Meriden,” he said. The $122 million Pulaski project is expected to receive a state reimbursement rate of 90%, Benigni said. The school district is hoping for work to begin in the winter, he said, with a first step of demolishing the former hospital. “This project will help change the face of downtown,” state Rep. Jack Fazzino, a Democrat who represents part of Meriden, said in a Facebook post. The former hospital has been a decades-long problem, said state Rep. Michael Quinn, D-Meriden. There have been many proposals over the years to rehabilitate or demolish the structure, but no action has ever been taken, he said. “This plan solves that problem and also solves the problem of the current Pulaski school,” he said in an interview.
CT plans $10 million project to improve multiple busy intersections. Here’s where and how.
The state is planning a $10 million project that will impact two communities and, in addition to replacing outdated infrastructure, the work is intended to improve safety for motorists and pedestrians, records show. The projects will include 10 new traffic signals and other improvements in Bloomfield and Windsor and could be coming later this year, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The $10 million project would replace the aging traffic signal infrastructure at intersections on state routes 218 and 187, according to the Department of Transportation. The technology will allow communication with the agency, to help reduce travel times, records show. “The upgrades to signal and pedestrian equipment at these intersections will replace outdated infrastructure and increase safety for pedestrians and motorists alike,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Project Manager John Lockaby said in a statement. “We encourage the public to attend [an upcoming] meeting to share their feedback with the CTDOT project team to incorporate into the design.”
Amazon confirms site of next planned Connecticut mega-warehouse
KILLINGLY—The recent announcement that Amazon is the prospective tenant at a planned 1.3 million square-foot warehouse near I-395 in Killingly didn’t come as much of a surprise. But some of the details of the proposed “Project Husky” may have, such as the company’s plan to donate nearly half of the 556 acres involved to the town for open space. Company officials announced the plan to donate 216 acres on the northeast side and 76 acres on the southeast side of the project in an effort to create a buffer between the $200 million project and residential areas during a presentation to the town’s planning and zoning commission Monday. The company is seeking site plan approval from the commission as it simultaneously seeks approval of the project from the town’s inland. wetlands and watercourses commission. Brad Griggs, Amazon’s lead for economic development in the New England, told officials that the land donation would result in neighborhoods being between 1/2 and 2/3 of a mile from the proposed building. Griggs also shared that the advanced-robotics “first-mile” facility would employ more than 500 people full-time and the building project would create 200 construction jobs. Griggs declined to give a timeline for construction on Monday.
Tweed New Haven airport gets $11 million federal boost for long-fought expansion project
NEW HAVEN —The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded Tweed New Haven Airport an $11.31 million grant to support infrastructure upgrades, including a 35,600-square-yard terminal apron on which to park aircraft adjacent to the proposed new terminal on the East Haven side of the airport. The federal grant is part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, “supporting critical infrastructure upgrades that will enhance airport infrastructure and improve the long-term passenger experience,” Tweed said Monday in a news release. The improvements will help Tweed “accommodate increased aircraft operations and better serve the growing demand for air travel in Southern Connecticut,” and is part of “a broader, multi-phase investment in the airport’s infrastructure and long-term growth,” the release states. “This federal investment is a major step forward for Tweed-New Haven Airport and the region we serve,” said Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Chairman Robert Reed. “Expanding the new terminal apron capacity allows us to safely and efficiently accommodate more aircraft, improve operational flow and continue building a modern airport that meets the needs of airlines as we focus on tomorrow’s growth,” Reed said.
Gas giant met with White House about New England pipeline project
Enbridge is planning an expansion of a major natural gas pipeline into New England, setting the stage for a political battle over the future of the Northeast’s energy system just as the midterm election season heats up. The Calgary-based pipeline company recently briefed the National Energy Dominance Council on plans for an expansion of its Algonquin Gas Transmission line, according to a White House official. Enbridge is also briefing potential buyers on its plans, according to an industry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive business matters. The official said the company’s efforts appear to be in their early stages. “The message was, ‘Get ready to do your modeling work,’” the person said. Details about the expansion are still unclear. But the mere prospect of expanding pipeline access is likely to be controversial in New England, where a pair of proposals to build new pipelines were abandoned nearly a decade ago after encountering fierce resistance. It also injects a new wrinkle into gubernatorial races in New England, where a trio of Democratic governors seeking reelection are under mounting pressure to address some of the country’s highest energy prices. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee have all pledged to green their states’ economies but have also signaled openness to backing new pipeline projects in the face of rising energy prices.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/enbridge-proposes-expansion-of-new-england-pipeline/
Lawmakers approve bill allowing state comptroller to withhold payments for wage violations
State lawmakers have approved legislation giving the state comptroller authority to withhold payments on public projects when contractors violate prevailing wage laws. Senate Bill 268 passed the Senate in a 31-5 vote in April and cleared the House Monday, 107-40, with support and opposition largely split along party lines. The bill, which still requires approval from Gov. Ned Lamont, authorizes the comptroller to suspend payments to contractors or subcontractors found to have knowingly or willfully underpaid workers, after a stop-work order is issued by the labor commissioner. Contractors would have 10 business days to come into compliance after notification before payments can be withheld. Funds would be released once violations are resolved, penalties are paid or a settlement is reached. The bill faced opposition from some construction industry groups, which argued it could disrupt project cash flow and unfairly penalize contractors not directly responsible for wage violations. State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said the measure will help protect workers and safeguard taxpayer dollars.
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If you believe you have been the victim of wage theft on a public works construction project, please feel free to contact our office. You can also visit the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Wage & Workplace Division’s website to file a complaint here.