Concerns over the loss of parking to redevelopment south of Hartford’s Bushnell Park could trigger a rare conflict between the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and Capital Region Development Authority. CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth, on Thursday, told the agency’s Regional & Economic Development Committee that Norwalk-based Spinnaker Real Estate Partners is seeking a CRDA loan to buy the lot from The Simon Konover Co. “We feel a solution to the Bushnell’s longer-term parking needs has to be part of the CRDA’s objectives and consideration,” Patricelli said. “Without that, frankly, the principal economic driver of the neighborhood, the Bushnell itself, would not survive.” “The one thing we can all agree on is we don’t want a long-term parking lot there, and there has to be something bigger than surface parking,” Freimuth said. “And that’s got to be part of any agreement and any deal and any structure going forward.” The plan calls for transformation of a wide swath of parking lots just south of Bushnell Park into a neighborhood of 1,200 households, mixed with parks, commercial space and parking structures.

Hartford’s Bushnell theater worries parking lost to redevelopment could spell trouble

Construction crews have broken ground on the next phase of a new affordable housing development in town, called Wellington at Madison. The buildings at 135-137 Cottage Road will consist of 27 units, 24 of which are designated for people who qualify for affordable housing. The 2.6-acre site already has four market-rate units on the property, bringing the total number of apartments to 31. The Caleb Group took over the project in January 2020. HOPE Partnership Executive Director Karla Lindquist told CT Examiner that there will be seven one-bedroom units available for households making up to 25 percent of the area median income, six one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom units for households making up to 50 percent, and four two-bedrooms for households making up to 60 percent. The community will hopefully be finished in about a year’s time, she added.

Construction Underway for Madison Affordable Housing Project

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved another 72 apartments for the massive Springside Middletown complex on Wednesday, bringing the Newfield Street development up to 486 units. Attorney Meghan Hope, representing Newfield Development Partners, said the developer bought the 7.5-acre parcel along the Coginchaug River after the commission approved the other 16 buildings that made up phases one and two of the complex in February. Phase three, approved by the commission by a 6-1 vote on Wednesday, will add another two, three-story buildings, each with 36 apartments, on the land now used as a tree nursery. Saunders said phase one of the project will bring $2.8 million to minority contractors, and phase two is expected to bring at least that much to them. Phase three means even more work, and it sets a precedent for how developers can work with Middletown, she said.

486 Apartments Approved for Springside Complex as Middletown Greenlights Additional 72

READCO of Old Lyme is proposing to turn the former Hoyt’s/Regal Cinema on Route 2 into a recreational center for pickleball as well as constructing four buildings with 124 apartments and 10,000 feet of commercial space on the remainder of the site. The Old Lyme-based firm is slated to present its design plan to the Architectural Design Review Board on Monday at 6 p.m. at Pawcatuck Middle School. The board will only review the design and appearance of the buildings and make a recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Formal approval of the estimated $25 million project is up to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which will schedule a public hearing in the coming months on READCO’s application for a zone change to Neighborhood Design District as well as approval of a master plan and site plan.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20231111/major-project-proposed-for-former-hoyts-cinema-site-in-pawcatuck/

At nearly $1 billion apiece, the cost of replacing a pair of century-old rail bridges in Connecticut makes them among the most expensive transportation projects in the federal government’s pipeline. Both projects — Norwalk’s Walk Bridge Replacement and the construction of a new bridge to carry trains across the Connecticut River — were included in a massive, $16.4 billion funding package announced by President Joe Biden this week with the goal of improving rail service along the nation’s aging Northeast Rail Corridor. Another — and potentially related — factor that experts blame for the rising cost of infrastructure is the length of time it takes to complete projects. In some cases, the eye-popping costs of projects can also be attributed to the technical complexity it takes to pull them off. Prior to this week’s announcement, nearly $3 billion in federal funding from that law had already been announced for projects in Connecticut.

https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/ct-billion-dollar-bridges-infrastructure-amtrak-18456623.php

As he promised in late October, Stephen Bellis, the attorney for the developer, has filed a lawsuit seeking to ultimately uphold the initial approval for the project and reverse decisions by Zoning Director Paul Boucher and the zoning appeals board to rescind that previously issued approval for the proposed housing complex at Madison and Westfield avenues. The original zoning permit was sought nearly two years ago by Bridgeport-based contractor John Guedes, and prior restaurant owners Mario Testa, also the city’s veteran Democratic Party chairman, and Testa’s nephew, Ralph Giacobbe, with representation by the local Russo & Rizio law firm. In a brief statement for his report, Russell Liskov, a municipal attorney who advises the ZBA, said he believed the board’s actions were appropriate.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/testos-zoning-permits-lawsuit-apartment-project-18483327.php

The Greater Hartford Mobility Study, which has been in the works since 2020, follows decades of planning about what to do with I-84. Leaders have proposed tunnels, closing exit ramps and other fixes as part of the Hartford 400 plan. The mobility study proposes four major projects, Burnham explained. CityLink West includes the proposal to lower I-84 and cap the road to allow for development on top. “Capping” I-84 would mean certain sections that run through the city are covered so drivers will be traveling through a tunnel. While the cap is sturdy and can be developed on top of, not every type of development would be feasible, Burnham explined. The projects are big and expensive, so Burnham said the timelines are hazy. Design phases for the highway portions alone could take until the 2030s.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/capitalregion/article/hartford-ct-i-84-mobility-study-dot-18482849.php

A multi-million dollar project to remove toxic soil and rebuild the foundation at Penfield Pavilion has started, though it’s later than expected. Chief Administrative Officer Tom Bremer confirmed the first phase of the project began with “hot spot removal” targeting contaminated soil tied to the town’s illegal dumping scandal, though he did not say when the work started. Bremer said the soil removal should wrap up by around Thanksgiving. He said the entire project should take about 12 to 15 months, placing the venue offline next summer before a likely 2025 reopening. The construction phase that will follow hotspot removal will address the building’s foundation to resolve a FEMA violation and renovate the building’s interior. He said final costs for the construction should be ready by the next Board of Selectmen meeting. He said an electrical subcontractor bid around $1.2 million or $1.3 million. The town budgeted $10.5 million for the entire project earlier this year, including $5 million for toxic soil removal, $3 million for grade beam work and $3.5 million for construction.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/fairfield/article/penfield-pavilion-construction-fairfield-delay-18427595.php

After delayed supply deliveries pushed the project back, crews have been piecing together a temporary bridge next to the crumbling, 135-year-old one. Officials are working to have the new bridge open to pedestrians “by year’s end,” city engineer Lou Casolo said. The prefabricated bridge, which costs $1.6 million, is the city’s attempt to maintain pedestrian access while officials determine what to do with the aging infrastructure. The once-purple bridge has descended into a state of disuse as local officials disagree how to rebuild it, even letting grant money expire in the process. It closed to pedestrians earlier this year after being labeled a health hazard, more than two decades after closing to cars. The city has identified a consultant who can analyze the the cost and considerations for a vehicle and pedestrian bridge, Quinones said. Earlier analyses only provided the Board of Representatives with guidance about pedestrian bridges.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-west-main-street-bridge-18472519.php

The state Department of Transportation, which already is making improvements to the northbound side of Interstate 95 in Groton, Stonington and North Stonington, plans to begin work this spring to improve the highway’s southbound lanes in that area. Josh Morgan, DOT spokesman, said the improvements include paving the road, upgrading lighting and guardrails, and adding new bridge railings to meet federal safety standards. He said the highway will be resurfaced and paved, and the on and off ramps will get a fresh overlay of asphalt to ensure a smooth transition as drivers access and exit the highway. The northbound project, which began in the spring, costs about $38.2 million, according to Morgan. The DOT is awaiting bids and then will award a contract for the southbound project, so the exact price tag of that work is not yet known, said Morgan. He said $54 million in federal funds and $3 million in state funds, approved by the State Bond Commission, are available.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20231109/i-95-improvements-in-groton-stonington-north-stonington-intended-to-make-roads-safer-ease-congest/