New York developer Avner Krohn said he expects to have tenants in his latest New Britain development in September. Krohn said construction on the $20 million-plus, 107-unit apartment building known as The Brit is continuing but interest in the development is high. There are, right now, 165 people on the waiting list that have yet to be vetted,” said Krohn, principal of Jasko Development. Krohn is also working simultaneously on developing The Highrailer, located at 283 Main St., adjacent to The Brit. The Highrailer was formerly home to Amato’s Toy & Hobby, a well-known toy store in the Hardware City. Krohn said the $25-million Highrailer project will be completed and ready for occupancy at the end of 2024. The Highrailer is currently under construction and will feature 114 housing units and retail space including 3,000 square feet for a to-be-determined restaurant. Both projects are being financed via private equity and bank loans.

Jasko Development moves forward with two New Britain projects

The State Historic Preservation Office, known as SHPO, is currently has oversight of the demolition and restoration of historic properties. But earlier this month, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities lobbied for an appeals process on SHPO decisions, citing millions spent on litigation and remediation and arguing the need to balance historic preservation with economic development goals. If passed, HB 6756 would allow any municipality to appeal decisions made by the State Historic Preservation Officer regarding the renovation or rehabilitation of a historic property and force a hearing with the Department of Economic and Community Development. State and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits also help support economic development, McMahon said. Private developers earned a 25 percent tax credit for the restoration of certified historic structures through the Connecticut Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program, and a 20 percent tax credit through the federal program.

Housing and Historic Preservation Advocates Clash Over Legislation Adding a Workaround for Demolitions

Crews are busy constructing a new bridge to replace the one over Saugatuck Avenue, a project that has been in the works for years. The work is part of a larger Interstate-95 improvement project between exits 16 and 17 along the Norwalk, Westport line to make it safer for drivers. The total cost for the project is about $104 million, with the Federal Highway Administration covering 90 percent and the state covering the other 10 percent, according to the project website. The work includes adding or reconstructing shoulders, replacing or rerouting drainage structures, adding better lighting and an incident management system, and installing new guide rails with wet reflective pavement markings to make it easier to see. The overall I-95 project will also repair the concrete decks of the bridges over Franklin Street and the Saugatuck River, as well as replace the expansion joints and install new standpipes, Burnham said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/westport/article/saugatuck-bridge-i-95-repairs-westport-17843112.php

Yale University will build a new, 12,930-square-foot Chemical Safety Building near the existing one on Edwards Street, after getting approval from the City Plan Commission. The project is a part of the university’s larger plan to develop its Science Hill district and enable a construction of a new Physical Sciences and Engineering Building, which was described as “one of the largest facilities projects in university history.” Yale hopes to start the construction in fall, aiming for a spring 2025 completion, according to its application. The Physical Sciences and Engineering Building plan originally was announced in 2020. Yale signed a $365 million contract for the project with Turner Construction in 2022. The project is still in the preliminary design stage, with the first phase planned to start in about a year with a completion slated for 2029, according to Steve Brown, associate director for facilities planning administration.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/yale-chemical-safety-okd-part-of-science-hill-dev-17849535.php

The city is seeking $32.1 million in state grant funds to transform Long Wharf and enhance downtown, according to plans recently presented to New Haven alders. The city is seeking $32.1 million in state grant funds to transform Long Wharf and enhance downtown, according to plans recently presented to New Haven alders. The plans, which the city first began presenting publicly in 2021, call for the city to demolish the former Gateway building on Sargent Drive and replace it the new location of Gateway’s automotive trade school, which currently operates in North Haven. The project would redesign and raise Long Wharf Drive to make it more flood-resilient, build a community marina adjacent to the Canal Dock Boathouse and build a larger Long Wharf park that would be more pedestrian-friendly.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/city-seeks-32-1-million-state-grants-long-wharf-17850006.php

The proposed felling of more than 800 trees, the disturbance of wetlands on the Yale Golf Course and the construction of a temporary hauling road on the Yale Nature Preserve has brought objections from Westville residents as they seek a discussion with the university. Karen King, a spokesperson for Yale, said the work at the golf course is part of the annual culling of trees which had been suspended for three years because of the pandemic. The goal of the project is to restore the course to how it was almost a century ago, which includes the tees, greens, bunkers and fairways, as well as an extension of the length of the course to accommodate championship play. Work will also be done on golf cart path realignment and the driving range. A review of the work is currently before DEEP and the US Army Corps of Engineers. After that, it goes to the City Plan Commission for site plan, soil erosion and sediment control permitting. The renovation is proposed to be phased in from October 2023 to August 2025, with the administrative approvals taking place this spring.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/new-haven/article/yale-proposes-restoration-1926-golf-course-17839651.php

With the city’s affordable housing plan not yet formally approved, the Planning and Zoning Commission hopes to extend its moratorium on apartment buildings everywhere but downtown. The commission, at its meeting Wednesday, voted to hold a public hearing on March 29 to discuss extending the moratorium on new multi-family residential rental housing units throughout the city, except in the Central Business District, which encompasses downtown. “Having affordable housing options means that young people who return to Shelton after college or serving in the military can again reside in their hometown,” Harger added. “It gives older residents who want to downsize a greater ability to do so. It assists those employed in lower paying jobs a chance to live where they work.” When the moratorium was first approved, Harger said it offered the commission the opportunity to investigate the impact of these projects on traffic and parking; the city’s sewer system; potential increases in demands on police and the schools; an increase in light pollution during the evening; and whether state and local governments need to make necessary public infrastructure improvements.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/shelton-apartment-moratorium-excluding-downtown-17845472.php

Cross Highway is about to get a bit safer as officials work to improve that area from North Avenue to Bayberry Lane. The project is in its early stages and is part of the town’s plan to address traffic and pedestrian safety issues. Wilberg said it’s a geometry issue with a four-way stop at the North Avenue intersection, where drivers do not know who has the right of way. The traffic study also found congestion from school and commuter traffic. Wilberg said the town has hired a design engineer who developed multiple potential improvement plans for the area. Wilberg said they will enter the preliminary design phase in the next few weeks. A design engineer will come up with what they call “30 percent construction plans,” which outline the project in detail, though leaves room for changes. Depending on what project is determined, construction could happen in 2024 or 2025.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/westport/article/cross-highway-upgrades-north-ave-bayberry-lane-17841034.php

A measure that would incentivize the installation of ground geothermal systems, heating pumps and heat batteries — shaving 10 percent off the upfront cost of installation, the most expensive part of the technology — has been introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly. A heat pump is basically the same technology as a refrigerator. A refrigerator pumps thermal energy out of the inside of the fridge, creating a cool area inside while filling the kitchen with warm air. If you stand next to a running refrigerator you should be able to notice this warming. This is the same way an air conditioner works too; it pumps heat out of a room into the environment. By attaching the heat pump to the geothermal pipes, you can effectively suck heat out of the Earth and use it to warm your home. In the summer, the process is reversed, sucking the heat out of your home and pumping it into the ground. This effectively uses the Earth as a heating and cooling battery. Natural gas prices have spiked recently due to increased demand for heating and electricity regionally, which has made electricity prices volatile. Ground geothermal is a critical part of reducing demand on the grid.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ct-legislature-ground-geothermal-energy-affordable-17837118.php?src=sthplocal

A plan to repair, upgrade and keep the 50-year-old XL Center in downtown Hartford running and relevant will cost $107.2 million. Hartford officials and CRDA staff see the sports and entertainment arena as a key city attraction, something that brings in crowds to patronize local restaurants on event nights and adds to the city’s vibrancy. The aging facility is currently undergoing millions in repairs and will need millions more to keep functioning, even without a dramatic overhaul, said CRDA Executive Director Michael Freimuth. The current plan would keep the building running and make it a more appealing and efficient venue, allowing it to bring in more performances, he said. In addition to rehabbing core systems, like the roof, plumbing, electrical and elevators, the planned rehab would redesign the stage, create premium seating areas at ground level, renovate seating, upgrade vending stations and other functions on the concourse and more.

CRDA targets $107.2M upgrade to Hartford’s XL Center