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/

The devastating storm that flooded parts of Connecticut and swept away roads was far more than infrastructure could handle. Twelve-plus inches of rain fell in a short period, or three months worth of rain for the state. But what exactly is a 1,000-year flood? No, it’s not a flood that happens once only every 1,000 years, but instead a flood that has a one in 1,000 chance of happening in any given year, as the U.S. Geological Survey explained. That calculation — how often flooding events are likely to happen, is part of how flood risk maps are derived. New infrastructure, like bridges and culverts, are constructed with 100-year storms in mind and flood maps, which can also determine whether someone is required to have flood insurance or whether construction is even allowed. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to plan. It just requires investment, and no small amount. “Mapping the whole country takes a long time and a lot of money and precipitation statistics seem to have changed in the last couple of decades, even if all the flood zones had been accurately mapped a decade ago.” In Connecticut, O’Donnell and his colleagues have been using technology known as lidar, light detection and ranging, to create accurate flood forecasts in some Connecticut cities.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/connecticut/article/ct-fema-rain-bomb-planning-storm-flood-flooding-19664947.php

Town officials in both Oxford and Southbury say the damage in their towns from Sunday’s massive flooding likely will exceed a combined $100 million. Those estimated repair bills do not include damage sustained by private homeowners and businesses, whose structures in some cases were literally torn from their foundations or incurred internal flooding damage that may be beyond repair. Gov. Ned Lamont’s official declaration of a state of emergency is expected to pave the way for federal assistance in what is expected to be a lengthy recovery. Middlebury First Selectman Edmond St John said if President Joe Biden declares the areas a national disaster area, the door opens for towns like Oxford and Southbury to seek federal monies through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to FEMA’s guidelines, an individual homeowner may only seek reimbursement for the uninsured damage to their home.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/08/20/oxford-and-southbury-officials-damage-to-exceed-100-million/

Builders haven’t broken ground yet on the long-vacant site, but developers are already listing luxury two-bedroom condominiums for $1.25 million at The Marketplace of Madison, near the Hammonasset Connector. The planned 24-unit condo development includes retail space and a 100-seat restaurant on the first floor in two three-story buildings, completing The Marketplace, which was approved in 2004 for four buildings. Construction is expected to start later this month or in September, according to Vincenzo Valentino, listing agent with Advise Realty Services. Developers hope to have the project completed in the summer of 2026. This is the most recent project approved for the west side of Route 1. The area near the connector appears to be going through a development renaissance as there are two other housing projects planned nearby. There are two planned affordable housing developments — The Wellington, a $10.7 million, 31-unit development at 131 Cottage Road, under construction; and another 18-unit affordable housing project to be developed by 35 Cottage LLC at the corner of Cottage and Mill roads.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/shoreline/article/madison-marketplace-million-dollar-condos-19658687.php