Danbury-based FuelCell Energy announced it has increased the planned scale of its Torrington manufacturing expansion as it pursues growing demand from data center developers seeking on-site power generation. The company, which makes fuel cell power systems, said Monday it now aims to expand the facility to 500 megawatts of annualized production capacity, up from a previously announced target of 350 megawatts. The change comes as its pipeline of potential data center projects grew to 4 gigawatts during the second quarter, up from about 1.5 gigawatts earlier this year, the company said. The expanded project is expected to cost between $200 million and $275 million and take about 24 months to complete, according to an earnings release filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. FuelCell said it has already begun work at the Torrington plant, including installation of a high-volume tape caster and commissioning of a new conditioning room. The announcement accompanied second-quarter financial results that showed higher losses and lower revenue compared with a year ago. FuelCell reported revenue of $35.6 million, down about 5%, and a net loss of $77.6 million. The loss included a $42.6 million noncash impairment charge tied to planned equipment upgrades at the company’s 7.4-megawatt fuel cell installation at the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton. FuelCell Energy began pivoting its business toward data centers earlier this year, with CEO Jason Few telling the Hartford Business Journal in March that more than 80% of the company’s proposal pipeline — then totaling roughly 1.5 gigawatts — came from data center customers. By the end of the second quarter, which closed April 30, the pipeline had grown to 4 gigawatts, a 267% increase from the first quarter. The Torrington facility was producing about 41 megawatts of power systems annually as of earlier this year, well below its existing 100-megawatt capacity. The original expansion plan, which FuelCell outlined in March, called for scaling within the existing footprint to 350 megawatts.

https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/fuelcell-plans-up-to-275m-torrington-expansion-as-data-center-demand-grows/

Stamford Health is looking to expand access and capacity with plans to build a dedicated cancer center and a behavioral health facility as part of a multiyear construction project aimed at addressing the increasing demand for those services in Fairfield County. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, though officials said planning and other preliminary work are already underway. The project is estimated to cost $275 million. “This is really a transformation of the Bennett Cancer Center to meet some of the most important future healthcare needs in Stamford and Fairfield County,” said Kathleen Silard, president and CEO of Stamford Health. “It is our aspirational goal, our vision, to be the most trusted healthcare partner for the communities that we serve, and I think to that end, this is just another example of ways in which we’re delivering on that promise.” Cancer diagnoses continue to rise nationwide, particularly among younger patients, as screening and testing improve. At the same time, advances in treatment are helping patients live longer and manage the disease more effectively, Silard said.​ Although Stamford Health’s Bennett Cancer Center has undergone several renovations over the years, Silard said the facility has effectively outgrown its space as demand for treatment continues to increase. Stamford Health provided more than 13,000 medical infusion treatments and 7,500 radiation treatment to patients in fiscal year 2025, which officials say represents overall growth in demand for services.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/connecticut/article/stamford-health-new-cancer-center-mental-health-22286744.php

Norwich — State, local and school officials gathered at the site of the current Moriarty Elementary School on Monday afternoon to break ground on the school’s replacement, which will be constructed adjacent to the current building. “I’m excited for what the families, the students and the staff here will get to experience in the next of construction here, which I call phase two,” state Rep. Derell Wilson, D-46th District, said. Among the nearly 60 people who attended the ceremony were School Building Committee Chairman Mark Bettencourt and other committee members, Moriarty Principal Ashley Favello, Superintendent of Schools Susan Lessard, Mayor Swarnjit Singh and members of the Board of Education and City Council. Moriarty is the fourth elementary school to break ground as part of the $386 million school project, which calls for the construction of four new elementary schools and one new middle school, with another building to be renovated into central offices and an adult learning center. Last Friday, a groundbreaking was held for the new Uncas Elementary School at at 280 Elizabeth St. Ext. Plans call for the new Moriarty and Uncas schools to open for the start of the 2027-28 school year.

https://theday.com/news/899546/officials-break-ground-on-new-moriarty-elementary-school-in-norwich/

After carving out a village oasis from scratch amid the Oxford woods, a developer is moving ahead with its next project alongside a historic ice pond outside New Haven — in the heart of an industrial district today, where it hopes to create a similar haven for people live and visit for shopping, dining and other leisure activities. Haynes Group is seeking a zoning change for a 30-acre property it owns at 300 Elm St. in North Haven, which under the town’s current IL-80 industrial zone designation does not qualify currently for housing. Haynes Group aims to change that as an initial step to moving ahead toward additional approvals it would need from zoning and wetlands boards before construction could begin on as many as 400 apartments and 150,000 square feet of retail and commercial space. On the residential front alone, that would rank the project among the 20 largest residential developments in Connecticut tracked currently by CT Insider. At a meeting this week, the North Haven Planning & Zoning Commission tabled further consideration of the proposal to its next session in early July. In an April presentation to the P&Z Commission, Haynes Group compared its goals for the site to Quarry Walk in Oxford, where it built a modern village including apartments, retailers, restaurants and commercial space filled both by chains and independent shops, including a Market 32 grocery store. As the case at Quarry Walk, the North Haven development would include a child daycare center. Haynes Group also plans to build a walking trail at the site and a “community green” for concerts and other activities during the warmer months, with a bandstand backed by the vista of Bruces Ice Pond according to firm principal Patrick Haynes, who led the P&Z Commission presentation in April.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/realestate/article/north-haven-quarry-walk-oxford-haynes-development-22289409.php

Norwich — The City Council on Monday authorized the city to apply for a $250,000 state grant to fund a feasibility study of a developer’s plan to transform the former Chestnut Street Mill into as many as 170 workforce housing units. Councilors voted unanimously to authorize the city and Norwich Community Development Corp. to apply for the grant. During the meeting, NCDC President Kevin Brown explained that the owner of the downtown mill property and the developer are interested in studying the path to redeveloping the building and bringing it “back to life.” The 125-year-old mill, which has sat abandoned for around two decades, has been the subject of multiple blight violations, including for falling bricks. “There is a possibility that finally, this can be transformed,” Mayor Swarnjit Singh said Monday. The building, which opened in 1901, was originally home to gun manufacturer Hopkins & Allen, which supplied firearms to the British and Belgian governments during World War I. Most recently it was home to Norwich Textiles, which colored synthetic fabric for use in swimsuits and lingerie. It was purchased by Franklin St. LLC, based in New York, in 2006. Property owner Maurice Moezinia, who is in the textile business, said Tuesday he originally acquired the building in hopes of keeping textile manufacturing there alive. Moezinia mentioned that through the years it wasn’t easy to get things done with the building. Moezinia said that changed when Singh called him, gave him his cellphone number and made him feel he could trust the mayor. “We’ve been trying to do something for many years, but it was always hitting a brick wall, or the numbers never made sense,” Moezinia said. “And the atmosphere wasn’t proper for development with this property,” he said, adding that Singh “was basically able to put all the puzzle pieces together to help this project work.”

https://theday.com/news/898031/city-council-authorizes-norwich-to-seek-grant-to-study-massive-chestnut-mill-housing-project/

Killingly — Opponents of Amazon’s plan to build a massive warehouse on Westcott Road turned out in full force on Monday for the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission’s final public hearing on the proposal. Nearly three dozen residents rallied outside Town Hall for a “Residents Against Distribution Centers Protest” before the IWWC’s meeting, carrying signs that called on commission members to “Save the Last Green Valley,” “Protect the water and land,” and say “No to more distribution centers.” The proposed 1.3 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center would operate 24/7, employ 500 workers, bring in more than 400 trucks a day, and serve as the company’s “most advanced robotics facility” in the state, according to Amazon Economic Development Director Brad Griggs. Residents fear that the construction and operation of the warehouse will destroy ecosystems, pollute the groundwater that feeds local wells, decrease property values, and create new traffic, light and sound nuisances, among other concerns. After voting unanimously to close the public hearing Monday night, the IWWC is now required by law to make a decision on the application by July 15.

https://theday.com/news/898090/killingly-residents-protest-amazon-distribution-center/

MIDDLETOWN — As the state Department of Transportation explores potential remedies to the high number of crashes on Route 9 through Middletown and Portland, local officials are seeking to ensure residents have a voice in the process. The city’s Common Council passed a resolution at its Monday meeting requesting that the department schedule a public hearing on all proposed changes to Route 9 and adjacent city streets within 90 days. “I fully expect that there will be a public session to review the plan,” Mayor Gene Nocera said. Nocera questioned what would happen if traffic lights were removed — something he acknowledged could make overall travel in the area safer — and wanted to ensure the plan is “well thought out and achievable.” The 41-mile expressway connects the eastern Connecticut coastline at Old Saybrook to the Hartford suburbs in Farmington. According to the DOT’s website, there are currently two active projects underway in Middletown’s portion of the expressway. First is a reconfiguration of a northbound entrance ramp to Route 9 in Middletown, which the department says will help reduce rear-end crashes at the Route 9 northbound and Route 17 northbound interchange. The existing ramp from Route 17 onto Route 9 is controlled by a stop sign and has significantly higher crash rates than similar adjacent on-ramps, according to the DOT. The four-year project began in March 2023 with an estimated cost of $54 million. The second project is the removal of two traffic signals on Route 9 — from Exit 22 near Silver Street in Middletown to Exit 25 at Route 99 in Cromwell — which the department says is to improve safety and reduce congestion.

https://ctexaminer.com/2026/06/02/middletown-officials-push-dot-for-public-input-on-route-9-changes/

The first four developments paid for through the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority, including housing, a museum and downtown retail space, got approval on Friday for about $19 million in bond funding. Connecticut’s State Bond Commission approved about $652 million in funding for statewide projects, school construction, upkeep of state facilities and purchasing of electric vehicles. The Connecticut Municipal Development Authority, formerly called the Municipal Redevelopment Authority, was established in 2019 as an unfunded entity and officially got money and started work in 2024. The authority partners with municipalities to help them reconfigure their zoning to allow more housing and transit-oriented development, particularly in downtown areas. More than 40 towns are member agencies. Once towns are member agencies, developers can apply to the authority for funding. The agency has been a favored initiative of Gov. Ned Lamont and is one of his administration’s answers to a looming housing crisis partially borne of restrictive local zoning that makes it hard to build apartments.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/first-housing-projects-ok-d-through-connecticut-22286535.php

STAMFORD — Construction of the new Westhill High School, likely the largest school project in Connecticut history, is now officially underway — at least symbolically. A collection of local and state officials gathered at the Stamford school Tuesday afternoon to celebrate a groundbreaking for the project, which includes demolishing the existing Westhill and replacing it with a new 450,000-square-foot building, expected to open in August 2029. Connecticut Department of Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Eleanor Michael called the Westhill project one of the most significant in the state and likely the largest-ever school project in Connecticut history. The department agreed to pay for 80% of the project to rebuild the school, estimated at a cost of $446 million, last year. That would mean a reimbursement of up to $356.8 million. However, the total cost of the project may not reach that level. In March, the Stamford Board of Finance approved a guaranteed maximum price of $353.4 million for the work. City Director of Operations Matthew Quinones said there is an additional $45 million to $50 million anticipated in soft costs that could drive the total above $400 million. The new Westhill is designed to hold up to 2,458 students and will feature nearly 100 classrooms. https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/education/article/new-westhill-high-construction-project-stamford-ct-22280831.php

As wrecking crews demolish the Bank of America building at 99 Founders Plaza for one phase of the Port Eastside mega-development, East Hartford is applying for $9 million in state aid to help pay for converting a vacant office high-rise nearby into an even bigger part of the mixed-use project. Developers have estimated they’ll need $90 million to transform the 19-story office tower at 111 Founders Plaza into about 230 modern apartments. East Hartford is seeking $15 million in state assistance to make the project more financially feasible, and this week is applying for $9 million of that. “There’s no tax abatement for this project, no money from the town. We might be going for a state loan, but all the rest is private equity,” Mayor Connor Martin told The Courant. “We think if we can get all the funding pieces together, it’s realistic to think they can start construction in the beginning 2027. The developers have all their designs down.” A partnership of major developers and industry leaders from around Greater Hartford proposed Port Eastside three years ago, calling it an $850 million project that would generate nearly 1,000 apartments along with restaurants, entertainment venues and more. They’ve predicted it would transform East Hartford’s under-used waterfront by replacing much of the 1970s-era Founders Plaza campus of office buildings; the plan is for a highly walkable cluster of residential and commercial uses with a pedestrian path along the river and greater connections to the Hartford waterfront.

https://www.courant.com/2026/06/02/ct-town-applying-for-9-million-to-boost-sprawling-port-eastside-redevelopment-plan/