Without a public hearing or other vetting, the state Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a measure that would allow a New Haven-based public water authority to acquire one of the nation’s largest investor-owned water companies, Aquarion Water Company. Public authorities are outside the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, so Aquarion’s operations, finances and rates no longer would be subject to the approval of state regulators if the company is obtained by the Regional Authority, or RWA. A special session has been discussed since shortly after the regular session ended without passing a legislative fix needed to prevent an increase in motor vehicle taxes this fall, an unintended consequence of a 2022 bill. The fix would continued to classify commercial vehicles as motor vehicles, and it would clarify that current law allows municipalities to establish mill rates on motor vehicles that are lower than mill rates on real property and personal property. At the governor’s request, the bill would roll back a liberalizing of school construction bidding rules that was included in a fiscal bill in the last days of the regular session.

Lawmakers uneasy over special session bill on Aquarion sale

Center Park Place, a mixed-use residential and commercial infill development to be constructed at Arapahoe and LaSalle roads and Farmington Avenue, will feature up to 58 luxury condominiums that are already listed for sale at more than $1 million. The project includes demolishing two buildings and erecting two new buildings. One of the new buildings will have four residential floors over three levels of parking, including one underground. That building will be located in the center of the property behind 53-65 and 27-43 LaSalle Road and 1001 Farmington Ave. One of the developers of the project is Marc Lewis, the principal managing member of Lexham Realty Management based in Westport. Lexham owns the properties at 53-65 LaSalle Road, 27-43 LaSalle Road, and 1001 Farmington Ave. Another parcel, at 12 Arapahoe Road, is owned by The Arapahoe Group LLC.

Construction hasn’t started, but West Hartford luxury apartments already selling

Pratt & Whitney is proposing to increase the size of a new planned office building on its East Hartford campus by nearly 50%, with the addition of two stories, including outdoor amenities for employees and greenspace. The jet-engine maker has submitted a revised zoning application to the town, which is on the agenda for the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. A spokesman for Pratt & Whitney’s parent company, RTX, said the zoning application does not signal any commitment to build the new office, but is a required step as it reviews and considers real estate options. The project would result in a net increase of 215,143 square feet of office space at Pratt & Whitney’s 251.2-acre campus at 400 Main St.

Pratt & Whitney proposes nearly 50% increase in size of new East Hartford office building

Environmental workers recently began clean up on the former Aeolian Organ and Music Co. factory as the first step in a $56 million housing development for 82 low and moderate-income families. The adaptive reuse project will convert a historic player piano factory at 85 Tremont St. into an apartment community and is expected to revitalize an under-utilized complex in the city’s north end. Boston-based Trinity Financial is the project developer who secured local approvals and state housing and environmental grants to do a gut renovation of the 120-year-old factory. Approximately 65 percent of the project’s funding will come from low-income housing tax credit equity and federal and state historic tax equity. Last month, Trinity closed on $24.5 million from KeyBank, $13.4 million from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, $9.5 million from the state Department of Housing and $4 million from the state Department of Economic and Community Development, including $1.5 million in brownfield funding, officials said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/recordjournal/article/meriden-piano-factory-apartments-aeolian-19525494.php

In grant requests submitted Friday, Norwich is seeking a total of $23.3 million in three requests, topped by the $17 million request to complete the demolition and cleanup of the partially collapsed and abandoned former Capehart Mill in Greeneville. Norwich last week received approval for a $4 million state brownfields grant to begin the massive cleanup project to create a riverfront park. Norwich also requested $5 million to convert Fontaine Field on Mahan Drive into an artificial turf multi-use field with a running track and handicapped access to the Rose City Senior Center next door. The third Norwich request is for a $250,000 planning grant for an environmental assessment of the 49-acre former Norwich Hospital property in Norwich, owned by Thames River Place LLC. Unlike neighboring Preston, which has nearly completed cleanup of its 393-acre former Norwich Hospital property, Norwich never took ownership of its portion of the campus. It remains dominated by decaying buildings and overgrown vegetation.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240622/norwich-new-london-preston-seek-state-funding-for-major-local-projects/

The state Department of Transportation plans to widen the sidewalk across the southbound Gold Star Memorial Bridge between Groton and New London so it is safer and easier to access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Tracey Brais, project manager with the DOT, told a room of more than 30 people in New London City Hall’s Council Chambers Monday evening that the DOT is excited about the $55 million project and thinks it’s going to create many improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians across the Thames River. The sidewalk expansion project will result in the reduction of one lane on the southbound bridge, she said. Brais said the southbound span currently has six lanes at the east end of the bridge and then it narrows down to five lanes. Once completed, the bridge will be mostly four lanes instead of five lanes as it is now. The DOT anticipates construction will start in the spring 2028 and be completed in the fall of 2029, she said.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240624/gold-star-bridge-path-to-be-renovated/

The school district unveiled the $47 million project two years ago with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, but documents now reflect the renovate-as-new project is officially complete, according to Nick Dua, communications and marketing director for Norwalk Public Schools. “The site was modified to improve the arrivals and drop-off at the school with a new separate bus loop and parent drop off area installed,” according to a document Construction Solutions Group, the contractor, sent to the Board of Education to request approval for the completion of the project. The school board approved the completed renovations unanimously at its regular board meeting on June 4. Now that the project is officially complete, the state can reimburse the district for its share of the project cost, Dua said.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/education/article/norwalk-jefferson-school-renovations-19518584.php

The public is invited to comment Monday on a state plan to improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the Gold Star Memorial Bridge. The state Department of Transportation will host a presentation and question-and-answer session at 7 p.m. at New London City Hall, 181 State St., related to planned improvements to the Interstate 95 southbound bridge sidewalk. The project calls for widening the existing 5-foot-wide sidewalk, along with the east and west approaches to the bridge. A spur path will be added connecting to Williams Street in New London. The Bridge Street intersection in Groton will also be reconfigured to allow for easier bridge access. The $55.5 million project, tentatively slated to begin in 2028, will be 90% funded with federal funds and the remainder covered with state money.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240619/public-invited-to-weigh-in-on-gold-star-memorial-bridge-sidewalk-proposal/

Norwich Public Utilities is taking advantage of unprecedented increases in federal grant support to launch several water system improvement projects. These including upgrading water tanks, installing a major water line and locating any remaining lead lines to customer homes. The utility needed City Council approval Monday to increase financing for two projects and add a new plan to repair the city’s main water line that brings water from the Deep River reservoir and treatment plant in Lebanon into Norwich. NPU received approval from the council for a new $2.9 million repair to the major water line that runs from Lebanon through Bozrah into Norwich. The project will address corrosion to the steel on a 100-foot-long utility bridge that braces the 30-inch water main beneath the Fitchville Road bridge over the Yantic River just below the dam. Construction is expected to start in fall of 2025, with 20% grant and 80% loan funding, LaRose said.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20240620/norwich-public-utilities-making-major-improvements-to-its-drinking-water-system/

Demolition began Monday of a nearly century-old structure, the former Eastern Company building, to make way for new businesses including a Chipotle Restaurant. The Zoning Commission in April 2023 approved the site permit application for the applicant, Berlin RE Development of Farmington, for a proposed Chipotle restaurant and retail store at the former headquarters of the Eastern Co. on about 2.2 acres at 112 Bridge St. Elite Excavation & Construction of Fairfield is doing the demolition while Greython Construction, of Mystic, will construct the shell of the building while another company, yet to be identified, will finish the remaining construction of the new structure, according to the building department. The development is expected to cost about $2 million and the construction time is projected to take about a year. The finished development looks to have 20 employees, the site permit application states.

https://www.rep-am.com/localnews/2024/06/17/eastern-co-building-razed-for-restaurant-urgent-care-facility/