Spinnaker Real Estate Partners of South Norwalk plans to develop parking lots that surround the former state offices in downtown Hartford into two apartment buildings, adding another 239 apartments and storefront retail space just south of Bushnell Park. The conversion of 55 Elm St. and an annex — now in its final stages — is adding 160 rentals, contributing to a boom of apartment construction long-envisioned for around the park. Spinnaker is seeking a total of $16 million in state taxpayer-backed, low-cost loans from the Capital Region Development Authority. Of the total, $6.5 million would come from a repayment to CRDA from financing on 55 Elm, recently renamed “The 55 Elm Club.” The projects still must clear approvals from CRDA and the city. Construction could get underway in the second half of 2025.

Developer completing one large CT apartment project ready to move on to next even bigger phase

The Zoning Board unanimously approved the construction of 26 townhomes in the Glenbrook area on Hope Street on land currently the site of a single-family home and the former Haitian American Community Center. To make way for the new units, the home, detached garage, large driveway and a former church used as the community center will be demolished. The Planning Board in June 2023 approved a change to the city’s master plan — which guides the city’s approach to development for 10 years — to allow the project to move forward. Ravi Ahuja, architect for the project, argued the buildings were technically two-and-a-half stories tall because the garage was considered a basement and didn’t count toward the building’s height, in part because the back yards, creating by filling in the space between the backsides of the units, were higher than the roads among the townhomes and came close to the garage’s ceiling. Stamford Land Use Bureau Chief Ralph Blessing disagreed at the time, saying the filling couldn’t be used to determine how tall a building was. He instead said he wanted Zoning Enforcement officials to take a look at the proposed development and make a determination.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/stamford-hope-street-townhomes-haitian-19609814.php

The $100 million redevelopment to turn the vacant former Red Lion Hotel at 100 Berlin Road into a multi-use complex called the Lord Cromwell featuring commercial businesses, living spaces, a high-end restaurant and more continues despite no apparent activity at the site. The goal is to replace the dilapidated building with at least 274 housing units, related amenities and some 30,000 square feet of retail space, Chris Reilly, the president of Lexington Partners in Hartford, told town officials in December. Attorney Peter Alter of Alter & Pearson in Glastonbury represents the developer. He told Town Council members at a meeting in October that demolition of the building and environmental cleanup of the site is expected to take a year. That portion is estimated to cost more than $4 million, he said. In December, Alter told officials that the anticipated completion date will be some time in 2027.

https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/cromwell-hotel-redevelopment-route-372-19607148.php

More than 60% of likely Connecticut voters would modify the state’s savings programs to spend more on human services, health care and education while still paying down state pension debt faster than the required pace, according to a new poll released Wednesday from private, nonprofit social service agencies. The survey, conducted by San Francisco-based Change Research, also found 68% of likely voters support scaling back state savings programs to boost funding for the community-based nonprofits that deliver the bulk of state-sponsored social services for people with disabilities and patients struggling with addiction or mental illness. The chief engine of those surpluses is a program that allows lawmakers to spend only a portion of quarterly income and business tax receipts on the assumption those revenues fluctuate too much year-by-year. But critics say this “volatility adjustment” is calibrated too poorly and takes a huge chunk of funding out of the budget every year.

Poll: 63% of voters want CT to save less, spend more on services

Full depth reconstruction is expected to begin for two roads later this year after town officials’ approval. The Board of Selectmen at its July 8 meeting approved forwarding the new design plan for West Road back to the state Small Town Economic Assistance Program for review so it can move forward with the rehabilitation of the road and put the project out to bid. The town initially planned with the $500,000 STEAP grant for a $2.2 million West Road rehabilitation project. Town officials were initially approved for a Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program and planned to make a LOTCIP application. However, state officials overseeing STEAP wouldn’t allow the transfer of funds to another road. The $2.2 million cost was due to plans to bring water and gas to the area. The denial to move funds from STEAP resulted in officials scaling back on the West Road project. The project, which includes the repair of all the drainage, will take place from Rimmon Hill Road to the Oxford town line. The work is expected to start in the fall and finish by the end of the year, Smith said.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/07/30/beacon-falls-plans-to-reconstruct-west-road-church-street/#google_vignette

Two parking lots are about to become mixed-use developments with 450 apartments and thousands of square-feet of commercial space at State and George streets in downtown New Haven. The project will be built on what now are parking lots opposite the former site of the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum, including one fronting George Street between State and Orange streets and one along State Street between Fair and Crown street. The city hopes to have “shovels in the ground” by late 2025 or early 2026, Elicker said. The developers were represented by Gilbane Senior Vice President and head of affordable/mixed income Roj Robinson, Xenolith Principal Andrea Kretchmer, Glendower Group and Elm City Communities President Karen Dubois-Walton and LMXD Senior Director Jake Pine.

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/new-haven-announce-450-unit-housing-development-19606016.php

The Capital Region Development Authority’s board of directors, on Tuesday, agreed to move forward with a $145 million renovation of downtown Hartford’s XL Center arena, even as legal questions swirl around a venue ownership and management company that’s bearing $20 million of the cost. Under an agreement approved by the CRDA board, Los Angeles-based live venue developer and manager Oak View Group will contribute $20 million for extensive renovations and upgrades to the roughly 16,000-seat sports and entertainment venue. In return, OVG’s contract to manage the venue will be extended 20 years, and the company will keep the first $4 million in annual XL Center profits. The majority of the renovation funding will come from the state, which has agreed to pay up to $125 million in project costs.

CRDA board signs off on $145M XL Center renovation; some planned upgrades left on cutting board 

The Mystic River drawbridge is slated to undergo a yearlong repair project, starting in the spring of 2026, to extend the life of the more than 100-year-old bridge. The state Department of Transportation and design consultants outlined the estimated $3.7 million construction project for the iconic bridge over the Mystic River during a virtual information session Monday evening. The purpose of the project is to keep the bridge in a good state of repair and address its load-carrying capacity and structural, mechanical, electrical, architectural, fender system and waterway deficiencies, said John Miller, project manager with Close, Jensen and Miller PC, which is the project designer along with Hardesty and Hanover LLC. The DOT also is proposing to install steel bikeway plates to address concerns from local bicyclists about riding over the open steel grid deck, he said. The DOT currently has warning signs on both sides of the bridge to advise bicyclists of the steel grid deck, and some bicyclists choose to ride in narrow concrete-filled strips on the bridge deck.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240730/major-mystic-river-drawbridge-overhaul-planned-for-2026/

More than two years after the busy Sherman Street bridge closed for a $10 million replacement project, it quietly reopened Friday after city crews removed the last barriers. Replacement of the two bridge spans over the Yantic River and an adjacent narrow former mill canal closed the key Sherman Street intersection with Asylum Street, forcing long detours for residents west of the bridge to reach Backus Hospital, Norwich Free Academy and various medical offices and businesses east of the bridge. The project replaced the 1955 bridge spans with new wider bridge spans. The main bridge over the river is 18 inches higher for flood prevention, and utilities are better protected beneath the bridge, rather than suspended from the bridge and exposed to rushing waters.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240726/new-sherman-street-bridge-in-norwich-opens/#

A contingent of concerned South Norfolk citizens met with First Selectman Matt Riiska on July 19 to urge construction of a temporary bridge across Hall Meadow Brook. The neighborhood has been cut off from Route 272 since a flash flood in July 2023 swept away bridges on Smith Hill and Old Goshen roads. Since then, the state Department of Transportation has promised to replace the bridges at a cost of $5.8 million, but the time frame for the work could extend into 2028, Riiska said. Riiska said he has held discussions with Guerrera Construction about how a temporary connection could be established. Meanwhile, Riiska said he is seeking quotes for a temporary bridge and will meet with the residents again Friday.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/07/27/south-norfolk-residents-make-their-pitch-for-temporary-bridge-spanning-hall-meadow-brook/#google_vignette