The State Bond Commission is expected to approve $340.2 million in funding for projects across the state when it meets Friday morning. The agenda includes a $6.5 million request for abatement and demolition of buildings at Founders Plaza in East Hartford, including the former McCartin School and three adjacent buildings. The commission is also set to redirect about $7 million previously allocated for redevelopment of East Hartford’s Silver Lane and Rentschler Field corridor for construction of new apartments at the former Showcase Cinema site. At least 300 units are planned for the 25-acre site. The agenda also includes $4.85 million earmarked for renovations to the state Capitol complex, including skywalk upgrades, hearing room renovations, carpeting, technology upgrades, and other improvements and repairs. The commission will also consider a $30 million request to provide supplemental financing for redevelopment and upgrades to the State Pier in New London. The plan is to create a modern, heavy-lift port through a public-private partnership.

Bond Commission set to approve $340.2M for projects, including Founders Plaza redevelopment

Two vacant parcels in a prime development area of North Haven have been sold for a combined $6 million. The properties at 405 and 417-425 Washington Ave., sit directly adjacent to the new Amazon fulfillment center, and are some of the last open parcels along the commercial stretch of Washington Avenue, Route 5. Both properties were owned by CRA NH LLC, an affiliate of New York-based Rabina Properties and Maidad Rabina, to LGID NY LLC and principal Elchonon Shilian of Brooklyn, New York, in a deal recorded June 23. Frank Hird, a broker for Branford-based OR&L, which had the listing, said the two parcels are prime for development in the industrial zone, which allows for uses such as hotels, retail, and mixed use. Development ideas include restaurants, commercial buildings and a hotel, he said.

Vacant parcels next to North Haven Amazon site sell for $6M; new development eyed

State officials are planning changes to the Bishops Corner intersection at North Main Street and Albany Avenue, citing that the area is “unfavorable for pedestrian travel.” The state’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety in West Hartford comes as the town embarks on its own Vision Zero process to do the same. The town took the Vision Zero pledge in January after experiencing six roadway deaths — three of those being pedestrians who were struck by cars — in 2022. Vision Zero looks to eliminate all roadway fatalities and serious injuries within the next 10 years. The estimated cost of the Bishops Corner intersection overhaul is $5,585,050, the state said. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2025. Funding is expected to be made up of 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent state funding.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/westhartford/article/west-hartford-ct-bishops-corner-intersection-18175401.php

The cargo ship Trina arrived at Adm. Harold E. Shear State Pier from Denmark Wednesday morning, ready to offload 16 huge tower pieces that will be used to assemble Ørsted’s first four wind turbines. Its arrival marks the first time that the 200-ton tower sections, each measuring 65 to 100 feet long, had been transported to the terminal. The towers will be a major component of the turbine assembly to be overseen by Danish wind power company Ørsted that is expected to be in full swing within the next few months. The business is technically still a partnership between Ørsted and Eversouce Energy, though Eversource is in the process of selling its interest. While the Connecticut Port Authority had previously expected to greet the arrival of the first large wind turbine parts with a major event and speeches by dignitaries, Hammond said current plans are to celebrate in August or September.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230628/first-wind-industry-turbine-towers-arrive-at-new-londons-state-pier/

Bronin has requested the city council authorize him to enter into a tax-fixing agreement, purchase and sales agreement, development agreement, and ground lease for 17 Bartholomew Ave. The underutilized downtown parking lot is owned by Carlos Mouta of 17-35 Bartholomew Avenue LLC, who is seeking a public/private partnership with the city in his vision for a $16.72 million mixed-use development in the Parkville Arts & Innovation District. Mouta plans to subdivide the property into two parcels. The Parcel A project will be partially financed with a $5.5 million CT Communities Challenge grant to help build 57 apartments, 30% of which would be affordable, and first-floor commercial space in a new multi-story building. Parcel B would become a public parking garage for 350 to 400 vehicles. The agreement will go to a public hearing July 17. Mouta said he’d like to see a groundbreaking by the end of the year.

Bronin eyes tax deal for Parkville mixed-use development

A plan to develop more than 200 acres got closer to realty with the recent announcement of $3 million in federal community project funding. “Every day there’s an article in the paper about the housing crisis affecting families,” DeLauro, who represents the 3rd District, said at a press conference inside Seymour Town Hall Tuesday. The planned two-mile road connecting Route 67 in Seymour and Route 42 in Beacon Falls, DeLauro said, would open up access to a future development similar to the nearby Quarry Walk in Oxford, which was built on the site of the former Haynes Stone Quarry, and includes a mix of retail, light industrial and residential use. Tom Haynes, whose company Haynes Construction built Quarry Walk, called the planned 220-acre development on the Seymour, Beacon Falls line a blank canvas where the company could apply the lessons learned at Quarry Walk.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/seymour-beacon-falls-development-access-road-18173071.php

State funding is ready for a streetscape improvement project for downtown Plantsville that’s been in the works for well over a decade. The $4.3 million project will realign the West Main Street and Route 10 intersection slightly to improve site lines in addition to providing other safety and aesthetics upgrades for the area. Funding is coming from the state Department of Transportation. On Monday, the Town Council selected Paramount Construction LLC of Newington to do the work. The total contract amount includes a 10% contingency and 10% earmarked for incidentals. Concrete posts along the road are in the plans for the streetscape project, although they’re designed to prevent street parking rather than stop cars. The project will also make improvements to the Farmington Canal Heritage trail crossing to make it safer for pedestrians.

https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Southington/Southington-News/Southington-leaders-pick-contractor-for-Plantsville-improvements

Hamden is seeking $5 million from the state’s Community Investment Fund, a portion of which would help repair the tennis courts. The rest would go toward updating and renovating the neighboring Louis Astorino Ice Arena. The Legislative Council on Tuesday voted to give the town administration permission to submit the CIF application. The tennis courts, which are used by Hamden High School’s tennis team, have large cracks in them. Officials described their state of disrepair as a safety issue. As for the ice rink, Garrett said it has its own safety issue: its cooling system, which uses the chemical ammonia, has come under the scrutiny of the Environmental Protection Agency in recent years. While the rink is town-owned, it is managed by a private company called 595 Mix Management, LLC, which operates under a contract with the town. Donohue is a co-owner of the business, state business records show.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/hamden-seeks-5-million-for-rink-18166140.php?src=nhrhpdesecp

Lewis Brown, principal of affordable housing developer Honeycomb Real Estate Partners, expects to launch a $26 million transformation of the run-down West Hartford Inn into 44 affordable apartments this fall. Soaring interest rates and construction costs, along with historic levels of state funding, have some of the biggest names in Connecticut’s multifamily development sector moving to add affordable housing to their portfolios. Brown, for example, is in talks with Zelman, Krohn and well-known Hartford developer Martin Kenny, of Lexington Partners, about potential projects. Krohn isn’t exiting the market-rate space. He said he’s advancing a pipeline of about 500 market-rate units. But adding affordable projects to the mix will help him keep busy, and allow his company, Jasko Development, to retain its roughly 20-person construction team.

Facing higher construction costs and interest rates, some developers turn to affordable housing projects

For decades, homes in Hartford’s North End have been plagued by regular flooding, and nobody took responsibility for fixing the problem. But on Monday, state and local officials, led by Gov. Lamont and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, announced a $170 million project to correct decades of environmental injustice. The $85 million to pay the state’s portion will come from the Clean Water Fund, which is administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, to implement a pilot program that will address sewage overflows in streets and basements homes and businesses in North Hartford. DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said the funds will be applied to 12 projects proposed by the Metropolitan District Commission to increase protections from sewer and stormwater-related flooding and backups in North Hartford. Five projects are slated to begin in 2023, six projects will begin in 2024, and one project will begin in 2025. Officials expect the first shovels in the ground by the end of summer.

Hartford’s North End flooding woes to be addressed with $170M