Bradley International Airport has received $5.4 million in federal funding for the ongoing construction of an 80,000-square-foot checked baggage inspection system behind the Sheraton Hotel. The project will enable baggage to be sent from airline ticket counters on a mile-long conveyor belt to the new facility for screening. The project will free up space for current and future airlines and create additional gate space for aircraft, according to an announcement from the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA). The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has set aside $970 million in grants for its Airport Terminal Program, which is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The FAA is providing funding to 104 airports across the country, focusing on terminal reconstruction, development, accessibility and energy efficiency. In addition to the $5.4 million, Bradley received $76 million from the FAA in 2023 for the new checked baggage inspection facility. The total cost of the project is estimated at $151 million. The balance will be paid for by passenger facility charges and airport revenue.

Bradley Airport gets federal funding for new 80,000-sq.-ft. baggage inspection facility

Officials with Florida-based Regency Centers announced the first two tenants of the complex’s retail portion, ending months of speculation. The retail portion of the complex, which will be a 152,000 square foot shopping center located near the intersection of Route 10 and I-691, will be know as Cheshire Crossing. Whole Foods currently has 11 stores in Connecticut and is nearing completion of another supermarket in Stamford. The Cheshire Whole Foods store is one of two in the development pipeline, with the other being proposed in Old Saybrook. Andrew Martelli, Cheshire’s director of economic development and grants, said Regency Centers officials have told the town they hope to have the new stores open by late 2025, in advance of the holiday season. Eric Davidson, a Regency Centers spokesman, said he expects both Whole Foods and T.J. Maxx to be open by the spring of 2026, with the remainder of retailers opening during a 12-month period after that.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/anchors-tenants-announced-for-cheshire-project-18688475.php

Town officials are vehemently opposed to a proposed solar facility at 141 Town Farm Road and will be looking into hiring an expert to intervene on the town’s behalf. Lonestar Energy of Avon has petitioned the Connecticut Siting Council for a ruling on constructing and operating a solar electric-generating facility on a 12.1-acre property that would include putting up a total of 4,702 panels off Town Farm and Abbe roads. The surrounding area includes a mix of farming and residential development. Enfield must contact the Siting Council by March 9 to apply for intervenor status which, if approved, would allow a representative of the town to speak during a scheduled hearing against the proposed facility. The Siting Council has jurisdiction above towns and cities on certain infrastructure projects, including solar energy facilities and telecommunications projects.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/enfield-ct-solar-farm-siting-council-18688498.php

As federal, state and local officials celebrated the opening of the new parking garage for the Stamford train station Monday, at least three used essentially the same phrase to describe the occasion: “a long time coming.” On Monday, Mayor Caroline Simmons laid out the features of the new facility: 914 parking spots, 92 charging stations for electric vehicles and 120 bike spaces. More than 28,000 commuters use the Stamford Transportation Center every day, Simmons said, referring to pre-pandemic data. From the parking garage, travelers will have access to the Track 5 platform as well as a pedestrian bridge to the station. State bonding funded the $100 million project, according to a release from Gov. Ned Lamont’s office. Coinciding with the garage’s opening, state officials released a master plan for an overhaul of the train station.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-train-station-parking-garage-finally-open-18688175.php?src=sthpdesecp

The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Board delayed its response to questions regarding the costs and timeline of the approved airport expansion on Tuesday, pointing to an ongoing legal battle with the town. Included in the letter were nine questions about the expected schedule, funding mechanisms and total cost of the federally approved expansion — which includes a new 75,000-square-foot terminal, a parking garage and surface parking on the East Haven side of the airport. The town representatives said they need the answers before approving the draft “Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan,” as the estimated scope and cost of the expansion keeps changing. But at the Tuesday meeting, the board — including the East Haven members — unanimously voted to instead refer the questions to its legal counsel, delaying the airport’s response. Over the last six months, Rafter, Avports and the FAA have made adjustments to the five-year plan, updating cost projections and funding mechanisms as they clarified the details of the expansion. According to a recent draft of the capital plan, the work in East Haven and extension of the existing runway is estimated to total about $165 million. In the Feb. 14 letter, East Haven board members asked for the final cost of the expansion, the cost-share between the FAA and Avports, an update on a noise mitigation program and the expected construction schedule. The members also asked about the expansion’s future if there was a change in ownership of the airport operator.

Tweed Airport Board Delays Addressing Expansion Questions, Citing Legal Concerns

“This is the big one and a great milestone for this project,” the retired Coast Guard captain and president of the National Coast Guard Museum Association said. “People are going to see steel out of the ground later this fall.” Bids for the 89,000-square-foot, six-story museum building and its associated interior systems were put out Thursday by the North Stonington-based A/Z Corporation, which is overseeing the work. The scope of the work at 1790 Waterfront Dr. includes concrete foundation, skeletal steel and flooring jobs, as well as exterior metal panel, glass curtain wall and roofing components. Companies are also invited to bid on elevator, fireproofing, plumbing and electrical work. The project is being handled through a phased construction approach that began with site preparation behind Union Station about 18 months ago and continues with the installation of roughly 240 micropiles. Pulver said a project timeline still calls for the museum building to be completed in 2025 before being turned over to Coast Guard officials who will set an official opening date. The bridge will likely not be completed until 2026.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240223/construction-bids-open-for-coast-guard-museum-building/

A solar energy developer based in West Hartford, Verogy, has received approvals to convert former landfills in Deep River, Middletown and Montville into solar energy projects. The company announced it has received permits from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to create the energy farms. Verogy plans to install solar arrays on the capped landfills, which will produce a total of 2.15 megawatts of clean energy – enough to power 252 homes for a year. Verogy said the projects will give the contaminated parcels, which total 7 acres, “a new lease on life” by transforming them from environmental burdens into useful assets.

West Hartford-based Verogy to convert 3 capped landfills in CT into solar energy farms

The study, from grid operator ISO New England, concludes that New England may need to invest close to $1 billion in in its electric transmission infrastructure each year, through 2050, in order to handle the increased electrical demands. Under one scenario outlined in the report, the electrical demand on the grid could peak at 57 gigawatts in the winter of 2050, which is more than double the highest peak load ever recorded. In order to create a grid that can reliably handle such a large demand, the report says it would cost up to $26 billion through 2050. Dan Burgess, who heads the governor’s energy office, said the report is an important step in regional planning efforts, and said Maine is already working on its own grid plans, including efforts to make it more resilient to extreme weather.

https://www.ctpublic.org/2024-02-20/a-new-report-says-more-investment-in-new-englands-grid-is-needed-for-a-clean-energy-future

More than $16 million in state financing has been earmarked to renovate the 55-year-old Northside Terraces apartment complex at 4 Terrace Drive. Northside Terraces LLC will get $4 million in state Department of Housing financing, $12.08 million in Connecticut Housing Finance Authority financing and 4% in low-income housing tax credits that will attract approximately $8.3 million in equity proceeds, according to a release from the two state agencies issued Thursday. The work includes significant remediation, Anderson said. Similar to other buildings constructed in the late 1960s, Northside Terrace has a number of environmental issues, including polychlorinated biphenyls. The owner is working with the EPA to do the PCB abatement, she said.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/02/22/torrington-apartment-complex-getting-16m-renovation/

A two-pronged plan to reconfigure Governor Winthrop Boulevard and renovate the Garde Arts Center’s loading area took a step forward Thursday as contractors toured the future construction site. The goal of the project is to expand space behind the 325 State St. theater to make it easier for touring productions to load and unload gear, costumes and large set pieces. The work will require shifting several underground utility lines and removing the left turn lane at the intersection of Union Street. A median running near that intersection will be widened and landscaped. A portion of a $2.7 million state Communities Challenge Grant funding, which the city received to boost downtown projects, will be used for the theater work. In order to receive the grant, the theater is required to provide $1 million in matching funds.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240222/loading-dock-takes-center-stage-as-contractors-tour-garde-arts-center-expansion-project/