Plans to update four schools in Lyme-Old Lyme may cost considerably more than anticipated, given bids discussed on Monday by the Board of Education’s Building Committee. CT Examiner reviewed a number of budget and bid documents prepared by Downes Construction, which is overseeing the project for the district. With bids for Mile Creek Elementary School, the largest single portion of the schools project, still outstanding, Downes told the committee that the total costs were already $7.7 million over budget. Voters in Lyme and Old Lyme approved $57.5 million in borrowing in 2022. So far, bids on the project have exceeded estimates by 27 percent. Planned projects include code upgrades, repairing HVAC systems, boilers, fire protection systems and other improvements at Lyme Consolidated School, Mile Creek Elementary School, Center School and Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School. At Monday’s meeting, Downes suggested that the scope of that work could be scaled back to bring down costs.

Lyme-Old Lyme School Construction Hit With Higher Costs, Possible Cuts

There will be no referendum in November to change either the price or the scope of the $385 million school construction project, leaving project planners with a mandate to complete it for the price approved by voters. The City Council on Monday withdrew two competing ordinances, one to raise the price by $50 million and one to cut the scope of the project to $342 million. Both the School Building Committee and the Board of Education last week voted to recommend no new referendum, affirming they could revise the project to meet the $385 million approved by voters in 2022. The biggest revision so far was to correct a mathematical error that overestimated middle school enrollment by 200 students. The correction allowed a reduction in size for the middle school, dropping the projected cost from $99 million to either $72.5 million for a new school or $69.27 million for extensive renovations.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240821/norwich-schools-project-to-stay-within-385-million-budget/

Sunday’s downpours resulted in flooding that killed two women in Oxford, compromised or destroyed 27 state bridges and dozens more local bridges, culverts and road shoulders. “Until we clear all the debris out, we don’t know if those wall structures are able to be saved or not,” Eucalitto said, pointing to a nearby storm water catch basin. “This must have gotten clogged with debris, so the water just found its way around that way instead,” describing the way the flood changed the course of the brook, now making rebuilding even tougher. “We’re looking at tens of millions of dollars in roadway repairs and reconstruction,” he said during a brief tour and interview. Above, as a reminder, a little gray cloud in the otherwise sunny afternoon dropped some drizzle. “Right now, we’re reallocating resources that we have available. Moving funds around.” Department workers were on duty nonstop from Sunday night through Tuesday and now they’ll be stationed full-time at places where traffic needs to share the road, which in some cases, like along Route 34 in Newtown, is a single lane.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/ct-flooding-southbury-roads-19715581.php

President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved a federal emergency declaration that Gov. Ned Lamont requested for Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties after heavy rainfall Sunday and ensuing flooding caused widespread damage and two deaths. A White House announcement said Biden authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to supplement state and local response efforts and coordinate disaster-relief efforts. The president’s approval came one day after Lamont requested the emergency declaration. The governor’s office said state agencies can now coordinate with FEMA on the deployment of federal personnel and equipment to augment emergency recovery efforts already underway by the state and its municipal counterparts. This includes actions to protect lives and property, and restorative efforts that defend public safety.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/08/21/biden-approves-federal-emergency-declaration-for-fairfield-litchfield-and-new-haven-counties/#google_vignette

The so-called “Tyvek temple” on Wall Street has secured financing and construction will begin again after more than a decade on hold to complete a six-story mixed-income apartment building. “Getting the green light to begin construction after so many years of preparation is always the best time for everyone who works on a project like Wall Street Place,” said Todd D. McClutchy, president of JHM Financial Group, which is managing this redevelopment project. Throughout the years, the large half-constructed building at 61 Wall St. wrapped with the Tyvek covering has been an eyesore in the Wall Street neighborhood. When the entire project is complete, there will be two apartment buildings: one at 61 Wall St. with 105 units, and one at 17 Isaacs withe 50 units. The timing of this project moving forward coincides with a $27 million investment by the city of Norwalk to improve the streetscapes in the Wall Street neighborhood.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/norwalk-tyvek-temple-finish-apartments-project-19665136.php

City leaders voted earlier this week to send a $59 million, two-question bond referendum to voters in November to pay for the construction of a new 911 dispatch center and reconstruction of a 100-year-old North End neighborhood school. Common Council members met Aug. 19 to hear presentations on both proposals: a $48.9 million renovation and expansion of Macdonough Elementary School on the existing property at 66 Spring St. and $10 million rebuild of the tiny, one-room public safety office at the Cross Street firehouse. Michael Scott, from TSKP Studio architects of Hartford, presented the results of a feasibility study. The proposed new school could serve almost 350 students instead of the current 230, he said. The feasibility study for Central Communications, which also handles calls for Portland, was paid for with ARPA funds, according to Director Wayne Bartolotta.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/middletown-referendum-911-center-macdonough-school-19666180.php

Construction on a new 29-residence townhouse community in Bloomfield began last week. The community, called Abby Court, will contain seven triplex and four duplex buildings. The homes are on a 9.5-acre property at 1120 Blue Hills Ave. The developer is Rehoboth Court LLC, an affiliate of T & M Building Co. Inc. of Torrington. The road construction contractor is Compass Enterprises of Simsbury. Abby Court is near Interstate 91 and is less than a 15-minute drive from Bradley International Airport. The town celebrated a groundbreaking for the project on Aug. 7 with members of the Town Council, construction contractors and the developers.

Construction begins on new townhouse community in Bloomfield

Community members will get an opportunity later this month to learn about and provide feedback on a roughly $4 million track and slope stabilization project proposed for Bethel and Wilton sections on the Danbury branch of the Metro-North Railroad. The state Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public information meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 29, when residents can provide comments and ask questions about the proposed improvement project. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with no right-of-way impacts anticipated during the process. With a $4 million estimated construction cost, the project is expected to be undertaken with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds, according to the DOT. The Aug. 29 public information meeting on the project will start with a presentation by DOT and be immediately followed by a question-and-answer session.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/bethel-wilton-metro-north-rail-project-dot-19628377.php

David Kooris, chairman of the Connecticut Port Authority’s Board of Directors and the public face of the often-controversial State Pier reconstruction project, resigned his leadership post on Tuesday but will remain a board member. Paul Whitescarver, a retired U.S. Navy submarine captain and executive director of the Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region, was selected by the port authority board to succeed Kooris as chairman. Kooris, who in July was named executive director of the newly established Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority, was alternately praised and pilloried during a five-year tenure that included an acting chairman appointment in 2019 that led to his re-appointment in 2020 by Gov. Ned Lamont. During Tuesday’s meeting, Kooris noted the authority finished last year with a $2.1 million operating surplus while Hammond announced the last few items on the State Pier reconstruction punch list are slated to be complete next month. The port authority has had three consecutive audits by state and independent auditors that found no problems.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240820/kooris-resigns-as-port-authority-board-chairman-will-remain-member/

A plan to close a portion of Lawler Lane to allow for future development in the new Occum Industrial Center cleared its first hurdle Tuesday with support by the city planning commission. The land on both sides of the road is owned by the Norwich Community Development Corp. and is part of the Occum Industrial Center. The planning commission in January approved a 12-lot commercial subdivision for the industrial park. NCDC has received an $11.3 million state grant to build an industrial park access road from Route 97 adjacent to the Exit 18 ramp to the lots located at the proposed discontinued Lawler Lane area. Industrial development would have no access to the residential portions of Lawler Lane on either side of the land. NCDC President Kevin Brown said construction on the industrial access road is slated to begin next spring. The planning commission cited the Plan of Conservation and Development’s goal of encouraging economic development and its support of the Occum Industrial Center as reasons for supporting the Lawler Lane road closure.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240820/norwich-commission-supports-closing-part-of-lawler-lane-to-accomodate-development/