The Greenwich High School vestibule project’s building committee expected construction bids to hit just above the $2.7 million budget, board of education and building committee member Christina Downey said. But when members of the committee opened two bids from what Downey described as ‘reputable’ companies Tuesday, they were surprised to see both construction companies charging around $4 million. The steep diversion from budget will cost time, for any extra expenses must pass Greenwich’s Board of Education, Board of Estimate and Taxation and Representative Town Meeting before the committee can hire a construction company. The building committee said it had hoped to complete demolition and make progress on the entryway before the beginning of the school year. The opportunity to bid opened June 27, and the building committee gave companies until July 12 to submit their bids. The deadline stretched to July 19 after a potential bidder asked for an extension because of “the short bid period and the fact that there is a holiday in the middle of it.” A short bidding period can result in inflated prices if companies don’t have adequate time to review the documents prepared by the architect, officials said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Greenwich-High-entryway-bids-arrive-1-3M-over-17317968.php

Roughly 250 residents, mostly from the Gales Ferry area, met face-to-face and virtually with officials who hope to build a dredging material processing facility on a portion of the former Dow Chemical plant property in town. Officials with Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting out of Quincy, Mass., purchased the 165-acre Dow site along Route 12 in Gales Ferry in May. The proposed dredging operation would use 10 acres of the property. Perrault said the proposed Gales Ferry Intermodal Facility would be a perfect complement to Cashman facilities in Staten Island, N.Y., and Quincy, and the site is in a strategic location to support the growing offshore wind and other marine-related industries. He said the dredging facility could receive material from the expansion of the Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, New London State Pier development of a staging site for off-shore wind components and Cross Sound Ferry operations, among other sources. No contracts have been signed.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20220719/gales-ferry-residents-voice-concerns-on-proposed-dredging-facility/

The reconstruction of two adjoining bridges on I-84 over the Housatonic River in Newtown and Southbury, Conn., which began in June 2020 and is scheduled for completion in December 2023, has reached a milestone and is proceeding ahead of schedule. The project started in June 2020 with completion expected by December 2023. When asked why the project will take more than three years to complete, Walter said, “It is the complete reconstruction of a highway, so it takes that long to complete. There are major shifts of traffic through all project stages. However, because of the flexible access methods provided by the sectional barges, we’re ahead of schedule and it’s a lot safer for the traveling public to travel freely through the site without regular lane closures.” The budget for the job is $52.87 million and is being financed by CTDOT.

https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/middlesex-corp-reaches-milestone-on-housatonic-river-crossing-in-connecticut/57213

The state Department of Transportation signed on with The Walsh Group on Friday for the $65 million train station project. The state expects a groundbreaking in late August, which should launch other downtown revitalization efforts, Windsor Locks First Selectman Paul Harrington said. Mixed-use residential and commercial projects would be ideal, Harrington said, creating areas where people could live, work and play, with convenient access to public transportation. The DOT is coordinating the project, but Harrington said both town and state officials are looking to attract serious developers with solid plans that will enhance the downtown area, the local economy and quality of life. The DOT has set an 18 to 24 month timeline for the project. Harrington said he hopes development projects can run concurrently.

Walsh Group signs with DOT for Windsor Locks train station project

Waterbury officials on Friday signed off on a $2.5 million contract with a demolition company to finish clearing away several dilapidated buildings on an abandoned 17.4-acre industrial site targeted for redevelopment. Anamet touted itself as the world’s largest producer of flexible metal hose before shuttering its campus off Waterbury’s South Main Street about two decades ago. Under the contract with the city, Stamford Wrecking will also abate some hazardous building materials inside the 220,000-square-foot industrial building. The contract gives the company 150 days to complete the job once the city issues a notice to proceed. The hire was approved by the Waterbury Development Corp. Executive Committee on Friday. The city, in April, advertised a “request for proposals” seeking developers interested in turning the site into a commercial or industrial use capable of generating jobs and tax revenue. Responses were due June 10.

Waterbury hires contractor for $2.5M to complete demolition at 17.4-acre industrial complex ahead of redevelopment

Manchester has received an application from a national, multi-state cannabis operator to open a dispensary at the former Friendly’s restaurant on Buckland Street. The Planning and Economic Development Department received an application from Curaleaf on July 5 for a retail marijuana dispensary in the former eatery at 240 Buckland St. No substantial exterior changes are proposed to the property or 4,322-square-foot building, other than new paint and signage. The parking configuration, which includes 81 standard and four accessible spaces, isn’t proposed to change, either. Staff are reviewing the application before it heads to the Planning and Zoning Commission for consideration.

Curaleaf proposes cannabis dispensary at former Friendly’s in Manchester

Even after praising the way Bethel has developed its downtown, experts say the town could further enhance accessibility for pedestrians. One recommendation is the construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting the east side of Bethel’s train station and the west side of the tracks. An over-the-tracks pedestrian bridge, which has been an idea for at least a decade, was one of the topics discussed during and after a recent transit-oriented community walk through downtown Bethel. In addition to highlighting the town’s successful transit-oriented development, the audit walk through Bethel was designed to open people’s eyes to potential areas of improvement — such as the need for the pedestrian bridge over the train tracks. There was also a recommendation to convert some industrial land into multi-family housing.

https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Pedestrian-bridge-crossing-Bethel-s-train-17313018.php?t=6965a10d35&src=nthplocal

A Los Angeles-based business aviation company is preparing for taking off with a multi-phase project development project at Waterbury-Oxford Airport that will created hundreds of construction jobs and 202 permanent aviation jobs. “The goal is to grow nationally, on both coasts and in between,” Hand said. Clay Lacy Aviation has signed a 30-year lease with the Connecticut Airport Authority. Ultimately, when all three phases are completed, there will be 202 direct or permanent jobs created, he said. An additional 420 construction jobs will created during the three phases. The first phase of what will ultimately be a $40 million expansion by the company at the airport includes a 40,000 square foot hangar and 5,000 square feet of office space, Hand said. It is expected to be open before the winter of 2023, he said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Waterbury-Oxford-Airport-to-get-40-million-17316014.php

The operator of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport has applied for city approval to add 507 additional on-site parking spaces, which would raise the parking capacity at Tweed from the current 927 spaces to 1,434 spaces. Avports, LLC’s application for the 54.7 percent increase in parking capacity would help accommodate the continued growth of Avelo Airlines, which has gone from an initial six Florida destinations last November to 14 destinations today. While maps submitted to the City Plan Commission appear to show that all of the additional parking is on the New Haven side of the airport, which is owned by New Haven but located partially in East Haven, East Haven Town Attorney Michael Luzzi said the town was informed of the application.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Tweed-New-Haven-seeks-507-more-on-site-parking-17315346.php?src=nhrhpdesecp

Eversource will pay $1.6 million to Operation Fuel, which helps low-income ratepayers, and $200,000 to the attorney general’s office for consumer education and enforcement, Tong said. The state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in December fined Eversource $1.8 million for failing to disclose whether marketing materials for gas connections were paid for by shareholders, ratepayers or both, in violation of Connecticut law. Tong opened an investigation following a report in August 2021 by columnist Kevin Rennie of The Hartford Courant about notices from Eversource claiming homeowners in South Windsor would be unable to connect to natural gas when their road was resurfaced due to a “paving moratorium.” PURA calculated the fine as $500 for each of the 3,594 people who received marketing materials that did not include required advertising disclosures.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/connecticut-attorney-general-fines-eversource-1-8-million-over-accusations-utility-deceptively-marketed-natural-gas-connections/ar-AAZKjHS?cvid=fbccff9fa17b45aea62c2887c79c07e3