The first major step in the multi-million project to update and renovate Keeney Street Elementary School passed its first hurdle last week, as the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the plans. The project, which required a special exception permit because it’s a school, would add roughly 8,500 square feet of interior space to the building at 179 Keeney St., increasing overall classroom space while reorganizing the floor plan. The district also plans to overhaul Keeney’s exterior, with consolidation of playgrounds and outdoor recreation to the east of the building and a redesign of the bus loop, parent drop-off loop, and parking. Voters approved the project in 2019 as part of the $93 million SMARTR2 referendum that also is funding work on Bowers elementary, now underway, and Buckley elementary, which was just finished at a total of $27 million. Of the total referendum amount, $88 million comes from state bonding, and $5 million is from reserve funds allocated to the building projects.

https://www.journalinquirer.com/towns/manchester/design-approved/article_7d41fa7e-6758-11ed-8477-2783abfa448c.html

The city’s Planning Board and Board of Finance have recommended that the building be sold for housing. Both have urged the city to require any buyer to preserve the original structure and build no more than four market-rate apartments within it. But about an hour and a half into Thursday night’s meeting at Springdale Elementary School, Simmons said it was clear that there was a lack of support for the idea. One question raised during the meeting was how much it would cost to refurbish the building. Simmons said city engineer Lou Casolo gave an estimate of about $400 to $500 per square foot, or between $4 million and $5 million in total. The 1.63-acre property, including the building and the land, has been appraised at $4.7 million. The Board of Finance and Planning Board recommended that the property be subdivided into a 0.63-acre parcel, on which the old police station sits, and a 1-acre parcel, which the city wouldn’t sell. 

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/In-Stamford-some-residents-call-for-old-police-17595115.php?src=sthpdesecp

Hartford HealthCare is expanding its outpatient services in Wilton Corporate Park, with the construction of a center that is scheduled to open next March. Hartford HealthCare’s new center at 50 Danbury Road, which will have a staff of about 80 people, will complement its outpatient services in the adjacent building at 60 Danbury Road that include surgical and medical weight loss, general surgery, medical oncology, breast surgery, urology and movement-disorder care. During the past two years, Hartford HealthCare has opened new outpatient centers and/or expanded services in Milford, North Haven, Fairfield, Westport, Shelton, Stratford and Oxford.

https://www.nhregister.com/business/article/Hartford-HealthCare-to-expand-outpatient-services-17577571.php?src=nhrhpbusiness

A New Jersey-based real estate investment firm bullish on Connecticut has paid $79.25 million for a sprawling industrial complex in Bristol. The 1.2-million-square-foot Bristol Logistics Center at 780 James P Casey Road sold in October. It’s likely to be one of the largest Greater Hartford commercial real estate deals of the year. The buyer was Treetop Companies, a Teaneck, New Jersey-based real estate investor and developer. Mermelstein said his firm is eyeing a future addition to the 139-acre property. That could include a new 250,000-square-foot industrial building built on-site, or a 250,000-square-foot addition to the existing building. Those plans won’t be finalized until sometime in the first quarter of 2023, he said. Mermelstein said his firm was attracted to Connecticut by its proximity to major highways and ability to pull workforce from several markets.

Massive Bristol industrial property sells for $79.25M; future development eyed

A highly-anticipated and state-funded $3 million upgrade to one of the city’s most well-traveled roads is about a year away. “This project we are embarking on is 100% funded by a LOTCIP construction grant (Local Transportation Capital Improvements Program) and it involves a Complete Streets upgrade to the entire 1.2-mile length of John Downey Drive,” Stewart said. City Public Works and Engineering staff are designing the project in-house and will be seeking input from impacted stakeholders and business owners beginning in Jan. 2023. The entire roadway will be repaved with new curbing installed, in addition to drainage and pedestrian improvements to meet ADA standards. A new sidewalk will be installed all along the road’s west side and a multi-use trail will be built on the east side. The design will include the replacement of the traffic signal at the intersection with South Street as well.

http://www.newbritainherald.com/NBH-New+Britain+News/410559/statefunded-3-million-upgrade-to-one-of-new-britains-mosttraveled-roadways-is-on-horizon

A new proposal seeks to build a large, mixed-use development on Black Rock Turnpike, that would add thousands of feet of co-working space and nearly 250 apartments. Post Road Residential is asking the Town Plan and Zoning Commission to conduct a non-binding pre-review on its plans for a five story building with 243 residential units, a 10,000 square foot amenity space and a 6,000 square foot co-working space at 81 Black Rock Turnpike, also known as the Reiner Property. Chris Russo, the attorney for the developer, said the property is currently an eyesore and the proposal will completely turn that around. He said it has been designed in a way that is in line with the town’s transit oriented development study. Commission Chair Thomas Noonan asked if the developers were aware of the Fairfield Metro development breaking ground nearby, and if they plan to complement it. The developer’s team said they looked at those plans.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/fairfield/article/Mixed-use-project-Black-Rock-Fairfield-17589522.php

The study comes at a time when the corridor area is projected to see an 18% population growth and 26% employment growth between 2016 and 2050, a faster pace than Connecticut overall, said Krista Goodin, project manager with CDM Smith. Goodin said the I-95 corridor from Branford to Rhode Island was previously studied in 2004 and later studied in an update in 2018. Both studies identified the need for additional capacity to address increasing congestion and recommended improvements, including widening in some areas and safety and design improvements at interchanges. The project team said it has gathered and analyzed data of the corridor, but stressed that there are no specific recommendations at this phase of the study. The team said it is looking to hear from residents about their feedback based on their day-to-day experience of I-95. Harley said next spring the DOT plans to begin a project centered around the reconstruction of the Exit 74 Interchange and includes the replacement of the bridge carrying I-95 over Route 161. He said the design team also will continue to investigate solutions to reduce congestion and improve safety in this section of I-95.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20221115/dot-looks-for-ways-to-improve-i-95-between-branford-and-rhode-island/

A Camden, New Jersey-based housing developer and investor has received a selection committee endorsement to build a mixed-use development worth tens-of-millions of dollars on a 2.8-acre parking lot south of Hartford’s Bushnell Park. After interviews and follow-up presentations, the selection committee ranked Michaels with 12.45 points, closely followed by LCM with 12.275 points, trailed by Spinnaker with 10.025 points and then Spectra/Wonder Works with 9.35 points. According to its website, Michaels operates about 60,000 units of housing in more than 425 communities in 35 states, along with Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company says it has built more than 55,000 units of housing. In Connecticut, Michaels manages four affordable housing communities with a combined 359 units in Meriden and New Haven, according to its website.

New Jersey developer gets tentative nod to build major downtown Hartford mixed-use development

The vacant lot next to the Naugatuck Event Center is expected to be excavated to establish a clean foundation for the eventual transformation of a new transit mixed-use development. The Board of Mayor and Burgesses unanimously approved at its Nov. 1 meeting to award a bid to Red Technologies of Portland in the amount of $213,825 for the excavation and disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and contaminated soil in the vacant lot at Parcel B, the 7.75 acres at the corner of Maple Street and Old Firehouse Road. Hess said the removal of material doesn’t mean the borough won’t find something else later but all the known PCBs will be removed and any possible remaining PCBs will be a low enough level to allow workers to build over or cap it. Stewart expects the work would start this winter season and the work can be done as long as the ground isn’t frozen over.

https://www.rep-am.com/local/localnews/2022/11/14/board-oks-parcel-b-excavation-bid/

Cheshire’s Planning and Zoning Commission Monday will continue a public hearing and possibly take action on applications related to a proposed multi-unit housing development, which, if approved, would be the town’s largest apartment complex. Voters in a referendum last week approved by a margin of 60% a modernization plan and $166 million for new school construction that would close three old schools and build two new elementary schools. The Norton School would be demolished, and a new building, to accommodate nearly double the current student body of 500, would be built on the same site.

Cheshire to hold public hearing on largest-ever apartment complex proposal