More than two dozen contractors hoping to take part in the construction of the National U.S. Coast Guard Museum attended a “robust” bid opening event earlier this month, museum association leaders said Monday. Pulver said 70% of the project’s anticipated $150 million price tag ― which includes the creation of a pedestrian bridge projected to connect the downtown museum to the Water Street garage and building finishing work ― will be dedicated to construction of the main museum building. Bids for construction of the 89,000-square-foot, six-story museum building and its associated interior systems were requested in late February by North Stonington-based A/Z Corp., which is overseeing the work. The scope of the work at 1790 Waterfront Drive includes concrete foundation, skeletal steel and flooring, 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.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240408/contractors-showing-robust-interest-in-new-londons-coast-guard-museum/

Thomas Quinn wants to build a hyperscale data center — what would be the single largest user of electricity in Connecticut — next to the Millstone Nuclear Power plant in Waterford. A few weeks ago, Quinn, president of NE Edge, and his partners Christopher Regan and William DiBella spoke with CT Examiner about the project. Regan, like Quinn, is a real estate developer. In the 1990s, DiBella, a Democrat, served as the State Senate Majority Leader before leaving elected politics and becoming a lobbyist. None of the partners have prior experience with data center or technology projects, but Quinn was clear that the partners don’t plan to develop the project on their own. According to figures provided by NE Edge, the project would require a $1.6 billion in investment and would consume 300 megawatts of power once operating — the size of the largest-scale, next-generation data centers used for high-density AI computing.

Plans for Massive Data Center Linked to Nuclear Power Spark Debate on Connecticut’s Energy Future

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, which serves as a transportation planning organization for the region, has published the draft document, called the Transportation Improvement Program FY 2024-2028, and is seeking comments from the public. The plan is described as “a four-year program that prioritizes and documents the funding of federally funded transportation improvement projects that the region expects to carry out over the next four years.” Among the projects, Rattan said the plan outlines about $300 million for the Gold Star Bridge rehabilitation in Groton and New London, which will occur in phases; more than $50 million for safety improvements on Route 82 in Norwich; $63.4 million for Route 2 safety and bridge improvements in Colchester, and about $3.5 million toward enhanced transportation for seniors and people with disabilities.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240407/region-to-see-major-transportation-projects-over-next-four-years/

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for 35 condos, 110 apartments, a restaurant, a medical office building and boat storage along the Housatonic River. All of this has been in the works in some form for roughly 17 years. These latest plans were filed early last year. Ricar, LLC and Mianus Holdings, LLC, developers of the project, plan to construct three six-story residential buildings, one with 35 condos. The other two will contain 110 apartments, split evenly between the two buildings. There will be 15 affordable units. The proposed project — which is across from Murphy’s Lane and the Crescent Village housing development — calls for the restaurant and event facility to be relocated to 726 River Road and increased in size along with the new medical office space incorporated into the proposed building.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/upscale-housing-marina-plan-shelton-s-river-19375100.php

Andrew Borgia of Fast Track Realty is planning to develop the former MassMutual property at 85 and 100 Bright Meadow Boulevard for a sports complex. All Sports Village, as the project is called, would have outdoor fields, a basketball building, along with a hotel, restaurant, additional retail space, and a family entertainment center. The complex would be built on the now empty 65-acre MassMutual office park along with an adjacent 3.78-acre farmland parcel at 113 Brainard Road. The agency continued its public hearing on the project for a third time to Tuesday in order to review additional information on the proposed wetland mitigation before deciding whether to grant All Sports Village a permit. Residents who had been vocal about the sports complex’s potential impact to the environment said on Tuesday that many of their concerns have been addressed, praising the developers for their attention.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/enfield-ct-all-sports-village-artificial-fields-18918515.php

Vineyard Offshore, an offshore wind development company, has submitted a proposal, Vineyard Wind 2, for a 1,200 MW offshore wind project to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island responding to the New England states’ solicitation for up to 6,800 MW of offshore wind capacity. The proposed project will deliver 1,200 MW of clean, reliable energy to the New England grid, enough to power more than 650,000 homes, beginning 2031. It will also avoid 2.1 million tons of CO2 emissions per year across the region, equivalent to removing 414,000 cars from the road, as well as improve air quality and reduce pollution-related health costs and environmental impacts. Vineyard Offshore has proposed a comprehensive multi-state project to provide substantial investments in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, responding to the New England solicitation’s aim of creating cross-cutting regional economic impact.

https://www.tdworld.com/renewables/article/55001344/vineyard-offshore-submits-proposal-for-1200-mw-offshore-wind-project-in-new-england

Hartford HealthCare will use up to $150 million in new debt financing to fund significant upgrades at its various hospitals and a new proton therapy center it’s developing in Wallingford in partnership with Yale New Haven Health. The debt is being issued through the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA), a quasi-public state agency that issues tax-exempt bonds and debt on behalf of nonprofit institutions. Since nearly all Connecticut hospitals are nonprofit organizations, they have access to tax-exempt debt issuances, which makes borrowing cheaper and more affordable. Yale New Haven Health, Hartford HealthCare and Proton International announced in April 2022 that they secured final approval to build and open the $75 million Connecticut Proton Therapy Center, which will provide an advanced form of cancer radiation treatment. Their new goal is to break ground on the project in the coming months and have it completed in 2026.

Hartford HealthCare to use $150M in new debt financing for systemwide facility upgrades

Mayor Harry Rilling and Superintendent of Schools Alexandra Estrella both described the high level of reimbursement as “unheard of” as they stood amid large excavators, mounds of dirt and metal beams at the rear of Norwalk High School, next to the turf field. With that reimbursement rate, Norwalk’s taxpayers will be responsible for $47.8 million of the $239 million project’s cost. The city’s commitment to developments in its housing, transportation and education creates a desirable hub in Norwalk, Gov. Ned Lamont said at the ceremony. The new school will be constructed where the Testa Field Complex is currently located. A new athletic facility will be built on the site of the existing school, which will be demolished, according to the project website.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/education/article/new-norwalk-high-school-groundbreaking-ceremony-pt-19373937.php

Connecticut energy officials and their counterparts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island have received offshore wind project proposals from four developers: Avangrid Renewables, Orsted, SouthCoast Wind and Vineyard Offshore. The developers submitted their bids on Wednesday, and Connecticut officials say they are reviewing the proposals. Details of the plans were not immediately available. The first project developer, Avangrid Renewables, is a subsidiary of the Orange-based energy holding company Avangrid, while Orsted is a Danish energy company. SouthCoast Wind is a joint venture by EDP Renewables, a Spanish energy company and ENGIE, which is based in France. Officials in the three states announced last October they would form a consortium to evaluate wind power proposals from developers. Collectively, the three states are seeking 6,800 megawatts with Connecticut looking for up to 2,000 megawatts of that total.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/ct-new-offshore-wind-power-plans-ri-mass-19373412.php

A developer who sought to increase the size of an already approved apartment building planned for Lordship Boulevard has agreed to keep the structure at 100 units, but has been allowed to tweak the number of affordable apartments. The Stratford Zoning Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve updated plans from Stamford-based Empire Residential to construct the building next to an old hotel at 225 Lordship Blvd., which the company previously converted into an apartment building. The application was filed under state statute 8-30g, which allows developers to bypass local zoning laws and regulations — including height restrictions — if at least 30 percent of the project’s units are set aside for affordable housing. The building is part of a larger redevelopment of the once-dilapidated 4.7-acre site. The structure is set to be built directly adjacent to a relatively new 69-unit apartment building that previously housed the Stratford Hotel and Conference Center.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stratford-approves-updated-plans-100-unit-19375504.php