A plan to start tackling big-ticket repairs at Rentschler Field in East Hartford — the home turf of the University of Connecticut football program — could get a major boost if state lawmakers approve a proposed $24 million upgrade for the next two years. Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed capital budget includes $12 million in each of the next two fiscal years for renovations at Rentschler — new roofing, concrete repairs and technology upgrades, among them — that would form the foundation of a larger, $63 million plan. The overall plan would stretch out over five years and was developed by a high-profile sports stadium consultant last year aimed at ensuring the venue, which turns 20 this year, keeps up with evolving Division I standards. The proposed funding for Rentschler comes as UConn football has struggled in the past decade, without a winning season since 2010. But in 2022, in coach Jim Mora’s first season, the program showed encouraging signs of a turnaround. The team’s record of 6-7 was the best in six years, matching 2016, and the team went to a bowl game.

https://www.courant.com/business/hc-biz-east-hartford-rentschler-field-funding-20230219-fykidj2kmrhn5bw76piqtnlzoe-story.html

The Department of Public Works, which is “constantly looking” at the town’s bridges to make sure they’re safe, is working with the state Department of Transportation on the design work for the complete or partial replacement of seven bridges in New Milford. New Milford is working on the final contract to replace the bridge, which was built in 1978, Healy said. The project will be paid for through a $1.78 million state and federal grant, Healy said. According to the Master Municipal Bridge List, the two-lane 34-foot steel bridge goes over the East Aspetuck River just east of Route 202. The town held several public meetings last fall about the project. According to WMC Consulting Engineers in Newington, which was hired to design the bridge and the associated roadway and site improvements, the project’s cost is about $4.3 million. It will be split 50-50 between the state and the town.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/new-milford-dpw-partners-dot-replace-seven-town-17781633.php

Darien’s $68 million in renovations for three elementary schools are on track after Planning and Zoning officials signed off on the latest plans with some small updates. Members of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission have approved site plans for Hindley, Holmes and Royle Elementary Schools. Construction for the project is slated to begin this summer and is expected to be finished in time for the 2025-26 school year. The schools will remain open during the construction period, completed in phases to avoid disrupting school operations and with staggered hours so as not to conflict with school pickup or drop off. Based on prospective construction bids, the overall project appears to be close to the designated budget, with Hindley and Royle under initial estimates and Holmes slightly over. Official bids are expected in late April.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/darien-commission-approves-hindley-holmes-royle-17791177.php?src=sthpdesecp

State officials are seeking an additional $47 million in federal aid to build and complete Resilient Bridgeport, a significant flood control plan for the South End that was already awarded $40.8 million but is now estimated to cost much more. Given the uncertainty, Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration made a controversial decision to redesign the new Bassick High School being relocated from the West to the South End to withstand severe weather rather than wait for Resilient Bridgeport’s completion or settle on another site outside of a flood zone. “Until we go out to bid, we don’t know exactly what those numbers will be,” she said. Which is why the $47 million competitive grant the state is seeking from the Federal Emergency Management Agency includes a sizeable contingency to account for any future cost increases.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/bridgeport-ct-federal-money-flood-project-17791184.php

The numbers, compiled by Stamford Public Schools director of facilities Kevin McCarthy, showed that the price to rent standalone units for 200 rooms for just one month would be greater than the cost to buy 200 window units. In January, Mahoney had asked for an estimate of how much it would cost to rent air conditioning units for the two hottest periods of the school year: May and June at the end of the calendar and August and September at the beginning. The officials are hoping to add 200 window units to classrooms before the start of the next school year. Another 200 or so would be installed for the following year. The price tag for the entire rental would be $350,000 for one month. In comparison, buying and installing 200 window air conditioner units would cost $300,000, McCarthy said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/stamford-finance-board-questions-school-s-ac-cost-17781777.php?src=sthpdesecp

The City Plan Commission voted unanimously during its latest online meeting Wednesday night to support a plan put forward by the Queach Corporation, a development firm run by Michael Giordano, to construct a new seven-story apartment building along 7 – 17 Stone St. The construction is contingent on the demolition of four single-family homes and the relocation of a fifth historic home to the right of the property. According to the developers’ site plan application, demolition is expected to begin in June 2023 and conclude in August. Construction should take about 14 months. Commission Chair Leslie Radcliffe applauded the project as an impressive undertaking that will ​“provide housing for a population we don’t always hear about.”

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/senior_housing_coming_to_stone_street

During its Wednesday night meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission heard public comment on the proposed expansion and voted unanimously to approve the plans. The expansion encompasses 31-35 S. Main St. and will add nearly 50 rooms to the Marriott SoNo Residence Inn and a possible conference/banquet room, along with solar panels on the rooftop, according to the application materials. Peer reviews found the building without historic merit and not worth preserving, for several reasons, Suchy said. F.D. Rich Co., which owned the hotel and adjacent property, commissioned the report from Jan Hird Pokorny Associates, a New York City firm that focuses on the preservation of historic buildings.

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/south-norwalk-hotel-tom-rich-udelman-17789018.php

The proposed new Connecticut River Bridge will feature a longer movable span that will improve navigational clearances for boaters and will open and close more quickly than the current structure, according to a presentation from Amtrak. Construction on the new bridge, between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook, is expected to start next year, with the total project, including the demolition of the existing bridge, slated to be completed in 2029, according to the presentation. Ryan Apanovitch, senior environmental project manager for AECOM, an infrastructure consulting firm, said the nearby Ferry Landing State Park boardwalk and fishing pier will be closed during construction. Amtrak is proposing to replace the existing boardwalk with a new, improved structure at the end of construction.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230216/amtrak-details-connecticut-river-bridge-replacement/#

The Norwich Public Utilities wastewater treatment plant on Hollyhock Island will be replaced with a new upgraded building, with work beginning in the fall. The new plant project went to out bid at the end of January and proposals are due March 29. Once a contractor is set, it’s expected that the approvals will be given late spring, and construction is expected to start in the fall. The utility expects to spend at least $167 million on upgrading the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Hollyhock Island. Most of the existing plant will be demolished and replaced, except for the sludge building, which will be renovated instead, The Bulletin reported in Nov. 2021. As of Friday, four large general contractors have expressed interest in taking on the project, and attended a required meeting. The contractor that will be awarded the job is the one that can satisfy all the parameters at the lowest cost, can secure the bonding, and has prior experience in large-scale projects. Whichever contractor wins, they’ll be hiring local trades people to fill roles, from truck drivers to carpenters, providing more jobs to the area, Sullivan said.

https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/2023/02/16/167-million-norwich-wastewater-plant-project-is-out-to-bid/69904348007/

The deteriorating 135-year-old bridge will officially close for construction Feb. 20, according to a sign posted on nearby fencing. It had been labeled hazardous by city officials last July, with pedestrians advised to walk only on specific parts of the structure. And though city officials have yet to decide on how exactly to restore the historic bridge, construction on a $1.6 million stopgap will soon begin. A contractor is prepared to begin construction on a new, pre-fabricated steel bridge just north of the existing structure in the coming weeks. The contractor, ROTHA Contracting Company, was selected through a city bidding process. They intend to complete the project by July 4, city spokesperson Lauren Meyer said in an email. The new bridge is being paid for entirely through city funds, engineer Domenic Tramontozzi said in an email. Costs include the construction contract, and design and inspection work.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/west-main-street-bridge-close-feb-20-pedestrians-17781712.php