Looking to capitalize on housing for temporary and traveling workers in southeastern Connecticut, a New Jersey company is proposing to build a 122-room WoodSpring Suites hotel at the border with New London on Boston Post Road, it told the Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday. Commission Chair Gregory Massad, who asked Seven Hills to make the informal presentation so commissioners could note any initial concerns, said his main issue was the potential impact on neighbors in the mixed-use commercial and residential area. Massad said he felt more comfortable with the idea after seeing the project’s presentation, which is currently being reviewed by the Conservation Commission for a wetlands permit. Sweeney said they are required to consider all approved and pending projects in their traffic review, and would make sure the new condos were taken into account.

New Jersey Company Proposes New Waterford Hotel to Accommodate Growing Temp Workforce

Another $1.5 million for the senior center building project was overwhelmingly approved by voters in a referendum on Tuesday, resolving the town’s yearlong attempt to cover the looming shortfall. The additional funds include approximately $32,000 in federal coronavirus relief funds, a $575,000 donation from the estate of Stephen Bendas and $892,300 in additional bonding, increasing the total project budget from $9.5 million to $11 million. The project has been short on funds since October 2022, when it was revealed costs would rise. After making some reductions, the town voted to make up the shortfall using the $575,000 donation and additional funds from Colchester’s Unassigned Fund Balance. Current First Selectman Bernie Dennler said he was glad the additional funding was allocated, since the building’s construction is underway.

Colchester Voters OK Added $1.5M For Senior Center Project

The Town Council has approved another $1.47 million for renovations to Sutton Park, bringing the total budget allocated, primarily toward updating the skate park, to about $2.5 million. On Tuesday, councilors were in agreement about improving the park, but there were differing opinions regarding the extent of the work and the timing of the renovations. In its budget for fiscal year 2022, the council included $1.05 million for Sutton Park renovations — $850,000 from American Rescue Plan funds and another $200,000 from the state’s local capital improvement program. The funds were originally meant to upgrade the skate park, install new lights and replace the playground. However, following public feedback, additional desired changes and increased labor and materials costs were incorporated into the plan, hiking the price tag to about $4.15 million. Town Manager John Burt said the park improvements are meant to be a long-term plan and will not be completed all at once.

Groton Council OKs Added $1.47M for Sutton Park Renovations

The town is examining different ways it could fund more than $100 million in needed school repairs across three of the district’s buildings. One of the ideas for the funding included the possibility of bonding the project for up to 20 years, with expected grand list growth helping to offset the costs. Vanderslice said the growth in the town’s grand list from multifamily projects and the ASML expansion will likely bring in over $1 million per year in new property taxes, less than the cost of projected new students. Erik Kaeyer, a principal with KG + D Architects, went through some of the repairs needed mostly for Cider Mill School, Middlebrook School and Wilton High School. On average, these buildings are about 60 years old and have not seen major repairs in 24 years, though many have corrected minor issues over the years, he said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/wilton-schools-projects-100-million-improvements-18521148.php

For towns with little or no expertise in dealing with the extremes of climate change — or small staffs, or little money, or all of the above — a resource like Stormwater Corps can be invaluable. It can also help municipalities substitute green infrastructure for some of the big, traditional, so-called gray stormwater infrastructure, like drains, sewers, pump stations and bridge replacements, which is often prohibitively expensive. Flooding and stormwater are cited as the top concerns in a recent needs assessment conducted in the coastal zone around the whole of Long Island Sound. That has been underscored by relentless extreme rains that started this summer and are now predicted into the winter. But Stormwater Corps is not the only resource for these towns. DEEP is already planning to start a matching-fund program to help communities with the match that’s necessary for most federal grant programs.

For CT towns struggling to deal with flooding, help is on the way

Four homes in Hartford’s Frog Hollow neighborhood, including three that are deemed historic, will be relocated to allow for expansion of Connecticut Children’s Hospital. The City Council approved a resolution allowing the city to transfer four other blighted and vacant properties in the neighborhood to Southside Institution Neighborhood Alliance Inc. so the land can be used to house the displaced homes. The timeline of the relocation is unclear because the resolution was referred to the Planning, Economic Development and Housing Committee for consideration. In May, Connecticut Children’s broke ground on a $326 million clinical tower and a parking garage with 910 spaces built by LAZ and leased by the hospital. Marcus Ordoñez, co-chairman of the Frog Hollow NRZ, said the neighbors are relieved the homes, which are located on the corner of Lincoln and Washington streets, will be relocated and not demolished.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/capitalregion/article/ct-hartford-homes-relocated-ct-childrens-hospital-18519140.php

Plans are underway on a long-term project to construct a medical campus behind BJ’s on Reidville Drive and the residential development off of Saddle Rock Road, which city officials said will spur economic growth. In January of this year, the city’s Zoning Commission approved changing the designation of the 40-acre site from single-family residential to commercial and supporting the project. The property is owned by 84 Vistas LLC, whose principals include developers Curt Jones, Joe Pisani, and Robert LaFlamme. Pisani said the first step in the project is clearing the trees, followed by land preparation. He said the project could take a couple of years to complete. The proposed medical campus will consist of four buildings varying in size, the largest at 100,000 square feet, with all the buildings arranged in a block with a shared parking space, said Robert Nerney, city planner.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2023/11/27/medical-campus-eyed-for-40-acre-site-in-waterbury/

Originally scheduled to reopen in November, construction on the Brewer Street Bridge near the Pratt & Whitney campus has been suspended until the spring due to unanticipated delays and temperature restrictions. The bridge, which spans Pewterpot Brook, closed on May 1. It is now expected to reopen in May 2024. “A gas main, a water main, and several dozen communication conduits had to be relocated between the bridge beams as part of the project,” Town Engineer Douglas Wilson said. Wilson said that the new bridge will span 24 feet, whereas the original bridge was 15 feet. Construction on the bridge is expected to resume in April, as that month is typically the end of the winter shutdown, when temperatures are most favorable for construction.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/east-hartford-ct-brewer-street-bridge-delay-18520010.php

West Hartford Fellowship Housing, a nonprofit that for over 50 years has provided low-income housing for an older population and to people with disabilities, broke ground on a sweeping and transformative $100 million project that will modernize and expand upon its Starkel Road campus, ultimately providing 300 total units of in-demand housing. The plans will replace 23 of the 24 buildings on site with six new buildings. Construction will be done in four phases, with the first estimated to take about 18 months. The town, which is currently reviewing its new affordable housing plan, has set a goal to have 10 percent of its housing stock be considered affordable. Those types of units have appeared across town in the last few years, with most recent additions being properties managed by the West Hartford Housing Authority on New Park Avenue and the recent approval that will transform a former synagogue into affordable housing. The West Hartford Inn is also marked to become affordable housing.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/westhartford/article/west-hartford-ct-fellowship-affordable-housing-18519125.php

On Tuesday, city and state leaders announced millions in grants and investments will go toward two major revitalization projects aimed at improving Grand Avenue. More than $7.5 million will improve a 1.5-mile stretch of Grand Avenue in the Fair Haven, Mill River and Wooster Square neighborhoods. The first phase of the revitalization project will focus on roadway enhancements: including repaving and traffic calming improvements along the busy and dangerous stretch of road. The second phase of the project will include streetscape improvements: sidewalk upgrades, new signage, lighting, trees and planters.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/new-haven-gets-7-5-million-to-improve-grand-avenue/