Grava Properties, founded by Windsor resident Greg Vaca, will be spearheading the project, which will replace the existing Windsor Center Plaza. Vaca, alongside state and local leaders, broke ground on the development Wednesday. The project, known as Founders Square, will be funded with the help of Community Investment Funding, which is also funding the Wilson Park on the south side of town. Currently, Windsor Center Plaza is separated from the sidewalk by a sprawling parking lot. In the new plans, the retail and housing spaces will be brought up to the curb with parking behind. Gov. Ned Lamont attended the groundbreaking, along with dozens of residents gathered in the parking lot of the plaza. He said the $3.2 million grant for the project was “easy for us.” The project will take place in two phases expected to take four years total, Vaca said. The construction will be led by Torrington-based PAC Group LLC.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/capitalregion/article/windsor-ct-housing-retail-founders-square-18552235.php

Dozens of residents who live near the former Dow Chemical plant on the Thames River are expected to attend a continued public hearing on a proposed rock quarry Thursday and say the project threatens their health, safety and quality of life. The quarry at historic Mount Decatur requires a special permit that the group Citizens Alliance for Land Use said in a release would “adversely impact the quality of life” in the area, creating “noise, vibrations, and air pollution especially carcinogenic fugitive dust known to be produced by quarrying granite such as that found in Mount Decatur.” Fugitive dust, small particles emitted during the quarrying process, is known to cause respiratory problems, according to online sources. The special permit request to essentially flatten Mount Decatur, submitted by Gales Ferry Intermodal, was originally scheduled to be heard Nov. 16, but “so many opponents jammed the Town Council chambers that the date was postponed and the venue changed,” according to the Citizens Alliance release. GFI is owned by Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting, a company based in Quincy, Mass.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20231213/residents-to-oppose-ledyard-quarry-operation-at-former-chemical-plant/

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that the agency is replacing traditional hard hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets to protect them better when they are on inspection sites. In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported head injuries accounted for nearly 6 percent of non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. Almost half of those injuries occurred when workers came in contact with an object or equipment while about 20 percent were caused by slips, trips and falls. On Nov. 22, 2023, OSHA published a Safety and Health Information Bulletin detailing key differences between traditional hard hats and more modern safety helmets and the advancements in design, materials and other features that help protect workers’ entire heads better. Today’s safety helmets also may offer face shields or goggles to protect against projectiles, dust and chemical splashes. Others offer built-in hearing protection and/or communication systems to enable clear communication in noisy environments.

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/osha-announces-switch-from-traditional-hard-hats-to-safety-helmets/63323

In late 2022, Winsted extended its portion of the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway farther north along Winsted Road, adding more recreational space on the already popular trail. Selectmen were reminded recently to stay with the project, which is funded by grants from the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The Winsted portion of the greenway trail extends from Winsted Road at Lanson Drive, near the town line, and now ends at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The extension’s construction was completed in December 2022. The town’s plan is to continue the trail, which is paved and suitable for walking running, cycling and roller-blading, to Willow and Rowley streets, where athletic fields, a recreation area and playground are located.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/winsted-sue-grossman-greenway-project-18537300.php

A new trail connecting Bloomfield to Simsbury marks one step closer to establishing a trail network throughout the Hartford region and connectivity along the East Coast. Bridging about a 1-mile gap from Bloomfield to the village of Tariffville in Simsbury, the recently completed multi-use trail is part of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile walking and biking route spanning Maine to Florida. Connecticut is home to 200 miles of the trail, with the route currently 54 percent completed in the state. The new section’s opening will allow the East Coast Greenway Alliance to re-sign the Greenway’s travel route through Simsbury Center once again, continuing south through the center of Bloomfield and eventually into Hartford.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/farmingtonvalley/article/bloomfield-east-coast-greenway-trail-tariffville-18546501.php

Norwalk is on track to add over 2,400 units over the next few years. From North Seven’s over 1,300 units to 1 Cemetery St. 77-units, here is a look at some of the development coming in 2024 and beyond. With a brand new station and heated platform, the Merritt 7 neighborhood is poised for an influx of development in the coming years. The North Seven development from Stamford developers Building and Land Technology plans to add 1,303 units across seven apartment buildings, according to the Planning and Zoning website. After years of delay due to legal issues, plans to finally finish the half-constructed building on Wall Street are underway. Developers presented refinements to their plan to the commission in June, and in November, the project was granted a one-year extension.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/norwalk-housing-development-projects-2024-18546994.php

Demolition of the vacant, severely blighted former Red Lion Inn at the intersection of Berlin Road and the northbound entrance ramp to Interstate 91 should begin “roughly” in the spring — possibly earlier if weather and financial markets permit. That’s what Chris Riley, the president of Lexington Partners LLC, the development company for the project, has told town officials about its timing. The goal is to replace the dilapidated hotel building with at least 274 housing units, related amenities and some 30,000 square feet of commercial space, in an attractive new complex. When construction of the new complex finally starts, it is expected to take 24 to 28 months, depending on the severity of winter weather during that period, Alter told the council. Those figures would put the expected completion date of the project sometime in 2027.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/cromwell-hotel-blight-apartments-condos-commercial-18549424.php

Partners rehabbing a former Hartford firehouse and shuttered municipal building into apartments are moving to launch an estimated $32.47 million construction of a new 126-unit residential building on surface parking lots near Hartford City Hall. Daniel Klaynberg, president of Spectra Construction & Development, said Tuesday his group recently applied to the city to build an eight-story, reinforced concrete building on a parking lot at 17 and 21 Wells St. The lot slopes sharply and plans call for 58 spaces to be incorporated on the first two levels of the new building. Klaynberg is seeking $9.4 million in low-interest financing from the Capital Region Development Authority for the proposed 100,467-square-foot ground-up development. He said he hopes to begin in “early” 2024 on a project that will take about two years to complete.

Developers moving forward with $32.47M ground-up apartment development near Hartford City Hall

In a phone call on Thursday, Rep. Joe Courtney told CT Examiner that he had met with Amtrak officials for a briefing that focused on on-corridor investments and a “clean sheet” for the agency’s reboot of high-speed rail planning between New Haven and Providence. Six years ago, the Federal Railroad Administration’s preferred alternative for high-speed rail included a “Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass” that would have significantly impacted the towns of Old Lyme, Stonington and Charlestown, Rhode Island, but was dropped in the face of widespread public opposition. But in early November it was announced that Biden administration would be giving $4 million of the $5 million cost for completing the study to Amtrak as part of $16.4 billion of spending along the Northeast Corridor including significant spending toward replacing lift bridges across the Mianus, Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers. Courtney told CT Examiner that, given his Wednesday briefing by Amtrak, it appeared that one alternative, a direct route between Hartford and Providence, was already off the table, based on a market study of the region completed in the spring.

Amtrak Promises ‘Clean Sheet,’ But Seeks Viable Off-Corridor Route From New Haven to Providence

Stamford has received about $2.52 million to build a new transportation program which officials say could help some residents reach places not covered by bus and train routes. With money from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Stamford is is looking to develop a “microtransit service” — an on-demand transportation service similar to ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft — allowing residents to request and schedule rides to specific locations in a five-mile boundary within the city. Once the pilot program is fleshed out, though, city officials said they believe it could be a major help for residents in the targeted neighborhoods. About 64,200 residents live in the proposed five-mile service area, Buttenwieser said. Of those people, 15 percent are living in poverty, 9 percent are disabled and 65 percent have access to one car or no motor vehicle at all. About 69 percent of the residents are people of color or identify as Hispanic.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-microtransit-buses-trains-18524724.php