The state Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting tonight regarding the planned removal of the Exit 21 off-ramp on Interstate 84 eastbound. The meeting is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at Maloney Magnet School, 233 South Elm St. The project is part of the New Mix program, which will address the long-term needs of the city’s Interstate 84-Route 8 interchange. The project will remove the off-ramp completely, and extend the auxiliary lane to allow additional merge and diverge distance for drivers entering and exiting I-84 eastbound near Exit 22, Burnham said. The Mixmaster will approach the end of its serviceable life in 25 years, according to the DOT. DOT spokesman Josh Morgan has said one of the long-term goals of the New Mix project is to reduce the number of crashes and alleviate some of the traffic congestion that builds up during rush hour.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2023/03/22/fate-of-exit-21-off-i-84-goes-to-debate/

Larry Fox, chair of the contracting standards board, said he doesn’t want to be in the position of reviewing every request for proposals, but wants to be able to look at the procedures the quasi-publics use, and make sure they’re promoting fair competition in their bidding process. The quasi-agencies – which are designed to provide government services with the flexibility of a private business – say they already are already under state oversight, including from state auditors, and that putting them under the purview of the board would slow them down when they need leeway to set up new programs or compete with private businesses. So far, the board has only been given oversight of the Connecticut Port Authority, a move that exposed tension between the board and the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont, whose budget secretary said during its review of the Port Authority in 2021 that it didn’t need to exist. The port authority has been one of the higher profile quasi-publics since it’s been tasked with redeveloping the New London State Pier for offshore wind — a project that’s price tag stands at $255.5 million and counting as construction is set to wrap up this year. And it’s drawn scrutiny for its procurements — especially for paying a legally questionable $523,000 success fee to a contractor in 2018, and for selecting the State Pier project manager Kiewit as a subcontractor for at least $87 million of work on the project.

Quasi-Public Agencies Oppose Bill to Expand State Watchdog’s Oversight

Demolition of the former Latitude 41 restaurant at Mystic Seaport Museum began this week to make way for a boutique hotel on the property. Heavy equipment was in full motion on Tuesday tearing down the rear of the building, leaving the front of the building mostly untouched except for the missing windows, which had all been removed in preparation for the demolition. A permit application for the Latitude 41 demolition, being conducted by Stamford Wrecking Company of Trumbull, was approved March 16, and the initial phase of the project is estimated to be completed within a month. Construction is anticipated to take one year.

https://www.theday.com/article/20230322/mystic-seaport-restaurant-demolition-makes-way-for-hotel/

The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to transfer ownership of the former YMCA at 337-341 Main St. to Mattern Construction of Baltic for its planned new headquarters and commercial development. Along with creating its new headquarters, Mattern plans to market excess space in the renovated building for a restaurant or pub. The property is directly across the street from the former Elks Club mansion, being renovated into a boutique hotel. Mattern plans a $4 million to $4.5 million project to do an environmental cleanup, gutting and partial demolition of the former YMCA building and new construction to create the construction company’s new headquarters. Mattern President Eric Mattern said his company would renovate the rundown warehouse. Mattern said work should begin this spring, starting with a general cleanup of the YMCA property to improve its appearance. The environmental abatement should be done by fall, when actual construction will begin.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230321/former-ymca-in-norwich-to-get-new-life-as-construction-company-headquarters/

A developer envisions transforming the Webster Street parking lot into a nearly 500-unit apartment complex with a 1,100-space parking garage and retail space for stores. To that end, the community is invited to a “Webster Street Lot Listening Session” at which officials will gather input from the community. Local and community leaders will attend, along with Brian Bidolli, executive director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency. The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, in the Community Room at the SoNo Library at 10 Washington St. The developer, construction firm Quarterra that was formerly known as LMC, will be in attendance to share its vision, which includes housing opportunities, retail spaces for businesses, additional parking and a new green space. Gov. Ned Lamont met with local and state leaders last month in Norwalk to promote the site’s development and cleanup plans, which carry a price tag of $250 million to $350 million.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/south-norwalk-webster-street-development-17852238.php

A Missouri-based company is proposing a 521,886-square-foot warehouse in Bloomfield on property that a construction company now uses for equipment storage and material stockpiling. NorthPoint Development LLC has applied for a special permit that would allow it construct the warehouse, with 118 loading docks, 206 trailer parking spaces and 361 car parking spaces. Northpoint, headquartered in Kansas City, submitted the application for a special permit on March 1. It previously received approval from the Inland Wetlands Commission. A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. Thursday before the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission. NorthPoint Development, a privately held real estate development firm specializing in industrial and multi-family development, is also moving forward with a nearly 750,000-square-foot distribution center inside Windsor’s Great Pond Village mixed-use development.

NorthPoint proposes 521,886-sq.-ft. warehouse in Bloomfield

A bill approved last week by the House Energy and Technology Committee charges the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection with developing a hydrogen strategic plan that encourages the use of hydrogen produced from renewable energy, and prioritizes its use in the sectors of the economy that are hardest to electrify. The department would also have to write regulations defining “clean hydrogen,” a process that will likely generate considerable debate. There is a growing consensus that clean hydrogen will have a major role to play in the shift to a clean energy economy. The U.S. Department of Energy plans to award up to $7 billion to establish six to 10 regional hydrogen hubs across the country for the production, processing, delivery, storage and end-use of clean hydrogen. Connecticut has applied to be part of a Northeast hub along with Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

https://energynews.us/2023/03/21/connecticut-needs-a-plan-and-a-definition-for-clean-hydrogen-stakeholders-say/

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