Eversource Energy took its first steps Thursday to getting out of the wind farm development business, selling its 50 percent ownership stake in a 175,000 acre site located 25 miles off the southern coast of Massachusetts. The company sold its ownership stake for $625 million to its joint venture partner, the wind farm developer Orsted, Eversoujrce officials said. The two companies are currently equal partners in that project, which is under construction 35 miles east of Montauk Point on Long Island and is scheduled to begin operating this fall, producing enough electricity to power 70,000 average homes. Revolution Wind will be located 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast and 32 miles southeast of the Connecticut coast when it begins operating in 2025. Of the 704 megawatts of electricity that Revolution Wind will produce when it begins operating, 304 megawatts will be used to power Connecticut homes and businesses, with the remainder going to Rhode Island. Eversource expects to announce the buyer of its ownership stake in all three projects by the end of June, company officials said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/eversource-sells-wind-farm-site-to-partner-18119839.php

In a move that could have significant impacts on residents and some private property owners, the Department of Transportation has expressed its intention to replace rather than repair the 83-year-old Alpha Avenue viaduct at a cost of $25.5 million. During the year-long project, slated to begin in the spring 2026, traffic would flow along one side of the 625-foot-long span, while crews replace the other side. Once that work is complete, drivers would move to the new section so the remaining half of the bridge can be replaced. In the two documents, the DOT said the 83-year-old bridge is in poor condition, and that it is developing plans to replace it. The letter also said the DOT does not anticipate holding a public hearing on the plan, but that a public information meeting will be held after the preliminary designs are completed toward the end of this year. The press release states the federal government will pay for 80% of the project, the state 5% and the town 15%, or $3.8 million.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230525/dot-proposes-25-5-million-plan-to-replace-stonington-borough-viaduct/

The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the proposed apartment complex named “Waterford Central” at its meeting Tuesday night after a presentation from the project’s engineer Brandon Handfield, architect John Wicko and traffic engineer Joseph Balskus. The project proposal calls for a mix of 144 one-bedroom and 72 two-bedroom units, with 36 units in each three-story tall building. Eighteen of the units are deemed affordable. Developer Kevin Daley, the manager of Sig Con Associates, LLC, submitted the proposal, which would be built adjacent to one of his other developments, “Waterford Woods,” at 394 Willetts Ave. The proposal says the buildings will blend with the previously approved architecture of Waterford Woods, with varying roof lines, finishes, textures and colors that will blend into the surrounding area along Willetts Avenue.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230523/waterford-approves-216-unit-housing-development/

Wilson and Ricciardi were referring to a request by New Jersey developer Sterling Properties to rezone 70 of the 100 acres in question on Hawleyville Road from light industrial to residential, in order to build a 14-building complex of one- and two-bedroom apartments with rents ranging from $2,300 to $2,900. Wayne Zuckerman, speaking for the development company his father founded 60 years ago which now owns and manages 7,000 rental units in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, told the Planning and Zoning Commission, “We feel this is an excellent site for multi-family in the town of Newtown.” The latest proposal to rezone the 70 of the 100 acres from light industrial to residential to allow the developer to build 300 apartments, which was supported by two speakers during last week’s public hearing, was panned by most residents. The commission continued the public hearing to its June 1 meeting.

https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/newtown-apartments-i-84-exit-9-land-18114104.php?src=nthpdesecp

The Zoning Board has narrowly approved plans for a 198-unit apartment complex on a long-vacant Broad Street parcel, the latest residential development approved for Stamford’s central business corridor. The project — proposed by prominent Stamford developer F.D. Rich Company — passed in a 3-2 vote, with the board’s two newest members, Gerald Bosak Jr. and alternate Racquel Smith-Anderson, opposing the development. Chair David Stein and board members Rosanne McManus and William Morris voted in favor during a special meeting last week, which board members planned to help address a backlog of applications. The approval paves the way for a 13-story apartment building at 128 Broad St. There was little debate about the proposal at the board’s May 18 meeting, as members parsed through 30 site-specific conditions for the project’s approval. The vote was the board’s closest margin since January, when it approved Curaleaf on East Main Street as the city’s second hybrid cannabis retailer.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-get-198-apartment-complex-former-dress-18112638.php?src=sthpdesecp

Connecticut could be in danger of losing its biggest offshore wind project — the more than 800-megawatt plan known as Park City Wind. Its developer, Avangrid — parent of United Illuminating and the American arm of the massive, multi-national Spanish energy company Iberdrola — is trying to rewrite, renegotiate, rebid or otherwise alter its offshore wind contract with Connecticut, according to industry sources. Avangrid has cited inflation and high interest rates, along with their causes — COVID, supply chain problems and the Russian invasion of Ukraine — as the factors necessitating more revenue to ensure financing to build Park City. Revolution is being developed by Eversource and Ørsted from hubs at the State Pier in New London and ProvPort in Rhode Island. The port authority running the State Pier has been mired in political, financial and ethical upheaval, but its redevelopment for offshore wind is moving along. One portion is complete, and in just a few weeks, turbine components will be delivered then assembled and shipped out for construction at a lease area called South Fork Wind. Dehkan’s main concern is the port redevelopment Avangrid promised in Bridgeport and the jobs expected along with it, which are tremendously important to the trade unions he works with and the environmental justice community in the area. But that port development was already in big trouble when inflation, high interest rates and Ukraine hit.

https://www.theday.com/state/20230522/is-cts-largest-offshore-wind-project-headed-for-the-shoals/

The new elementary school, anticipated to open in 2025, is headed to a Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing Thursday, June 15. The new $61 million, 87,000-square-foot school was approved by referendum Feb. 15, 2022 as part of an $89.2 million school renewal project. The new school would replace J. Milton Jeffrey Elementary School, Ryerson Elementary School and the Town Campus Learning Center. The building plan includes a new school on 14.2 acres near the Green Hill Road campus, which now includes the Walter C. Polson Upper Middle School, J. Milton Jeffrey Elementary School and Daniel Hand High School. The school is designed “with a compact, efficient footprint to leverage the natural topography of the site and create opportunities for outdoor learning,” according to Tecton Architects, which is designing the school.

https://www.nhregister.com/shoreline/article/new-madison-61-m-elementary-school-heads-p-z-18111066.php?src=nhrhpdesecp

Streets in South Norwalk must be raised by at least 3 feet to prepare for future storm surges in 2050, experts with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation report. South Norwalk is one of seven coastal cities selected by CIRCA for climate mitigation planning. In major storms like Hurricane Sandy, South Norwalk can see typically 4 1/2 to 5 feet of storm surge, which causes major flooding throughout South Norwalk. CIRCA projects that the Long Island Sound will rise 20 inches by 2050 due to climate change, which would worsen the issue. CIRCA outline solutions the city can take to combat this issue, including raising the road by 3 feet so they are 10 feet about the sea level. Officials did not detail the engineering and construction work that would be needed to elevate the roads. But raising the street is more complicated in dense areas like South Norwalk because all the driveways and roadway feeding onto the main road will need to connect to the new height.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/sono-streets-raised-flooding-climate-change-18112495.php

East Hartford is planning to use $17 million in state funds and $3 million from town taxpayers to advance three private redevelopment projects, two of which would each add hundreds of new market-rate apartments. The Capital Region Development Authority board of directors, on Thursday, signed off on the use of $10 million in new state bond funds and the repurposing of about $7 million in previously authorized bonding to aid three developments. East Hartford got the CRDA’s blessing Thursday to spend $10 million to demolish the former McCartin School and three large derelict buildings at, or adjacent to Founders Plaza. Town officials want to demolish the empty school to make room for houses that would mix well with the surrounding residential neighborhood. A development partner has not yet been identified. The CRDA board also signed off on East Hartford’s request to repurpose $7 million in previously approved state bond funding to defray costs of a planned development of at least 300 apartments on a 25-acre site off Silver Lane that once hosted a Showcase Cinemas.

East Hartford targets $20M in public funds to spur large-scale private developments

The city and developers say they are finally taking action to revitalize the Wall Street Corridor — a core area of Norwalk that has languished in part because of a massive project that has remained stagnant for about 20 years. On the city’s side, the Norwalk Transportation, Mobility and Parking Department is focused on upgrading traffic patterns and sidewalks along the corridor. Director Jim Travers and Assistant Director Garrett Bolella plan to make Wall Street a pedestrian-friendly street. They said the entire project will cost about $25 million. Phase one begins this fall. Both the city’s transportation department and Milligan envision the Wall Street area as a hub of art and music. The city planes to turn River Street into a pedestrian street that could be closed off for music or arts festivals. They also plan to honor the late jazz musician and Norwalk native Horace Silver with a piano keyboard crosswalk outside the Wall Street Theater.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/norwalk-wall-street-poko-development-17923452.php